After District Collectorate at Thrikkakara, it looks like the main SupplyCo office at Gandhinagar is turning to sun for its energy supply.
According to the officials with the Kerala Civil Supplies Corporation Ltd (SupplyCo), the plan is to install at least 100 kw solar panels on roof tops which will bring down the electricity consumption approximately by 75 to 90 per cent.
This is a pilot project of the Corporation. Over 10,000 square feet area will be installed with solar panels. According to D Vibhukumar, manager (E and CP), tenders have already been floated. “Since the main office consumes power worth `1,15,000, we have decided to cut the charges by depending on solar power. Our offices are fully air-conditioned besides being fully-computerised which requires a lot of power,” he said.
The head office will be equipped with 100 KW worth solar panels. There are plans to install the solar system at the Hyper Market so as to save energy. Vibhukumar says if the project is successful at Ernakulam, they will moot proposals to install solar panels at every SupplyCo office and establishments.
“The greatest advantage of our offices is that none of them function during night. Hence, batteries to store energy (which is expensive) need not be utilised. Direct consumption of solar energy is possible in the morning and afternoon hours,” he said.
He added that the panels will be installed only after the rainy season. As part of the project, solar panels will also be set up at the Council for Food Research and Development (CFRD) at Konni.
Across Kerala, many government institutions including the PWD and KSEB offices and railway stations are set to install solar panels to reduce electricity consumption.
Currently, procedures are afoot to install hybrid inverter system in the civic station to generate electricity using solar panels.