Solar plan back in high voltage
The Solar City project to light Kochi’s streets, shops and industrial units is finally taking shape after remaining in cold storage for nearly a year.
Being presented with a huge power bill of Rs70 lakh this month, appears to have given the corporation a wake-up call. It has now asked ANERT, the nodal agency for the project, to submit a list of consultants it can choose from for preparing a detailed project report, within a week.
“A meeting will be convened soon to review the proposal for the Solar City project which will reduce the city’s dependence on electricity supplied by the SEB,” said mayor Tony Chammany, adding that the corporation intended to focus on projects for tapping solar energy in a big way in the 12th five year plan and also come out with an energy-saving policy.
“The streetlights will be replaced with energy efficient lamps and solar panels will be installed at the Edappally and Vyttila zonal offices,” the mayor explained.
The Union ministry of new and renewable energy, which is backing the Solar City project, hopes to promote the use of renewable energy in urban areas by supporting municipal corporations in preparing and implementing a road map for developing Solar Cities. Although the scheme was conceived last year, it made no progress.
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