COIMBATORE: Nearly two years after announcing the project, the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC) has started installing solar panels in Ukkadam Periyakulam lake. With this, CCMC becomes the first urban local body in the state to install solar panels on a waterbody.
The waterbody in Ukkadam, which is around 10-m deep, has been developed at the cost of Rs 61.60 crore under Smart City project. Amenities such as walkers track, food stalls, amphitheatre, knowledge centre, laser and music show area have been provided.
As part of the project, the civic body partnered with Switzerland-based International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) to set up the state’s first floating solar power plant on a waterbody.
Speaking to TNIE, an official from the engineering section of CCMC said, “We will install a total of 280 solar panels on the waterbody. These would generate around 154kW or 693 units of electricity. The solar panels are anchored to the lake bed ensuring they stay afloat and don’t drift away. The project is being carried out at an estimated cost of about Rs 1.45 crore. Out of the 330-acre lake area, solar panels will be installed in 50 cents area.” Sources said the work will be completed in a couple of weeks.
Sources in the Coimbatore Smart City Projects said solar panels would be installed in other waterbodies in the city too depending on the success of this one.
The project is being executed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation under the second phase of the Capacity Building Project on Low Carbon and Climate Resilient City Development in India (CapaCITIES) project that is being implemented in eight cities across the country.