Gangtok, Jan. 31.TT: Seven government buildings, including the Raj Bhavan and the Sikkim Assembly, will be powered by solar energy from April this year.
The project to install solar lights will be implemented under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission of the ministry of new and renewable energy.
Officials said the Raj Bhavan and the Assembly would draw a daily solar power of 30KW and 20KW respectively.
The other buildings where solar power systems would be introduced are Sikkim Government College at Tadong, Institute of Hotel Management at Sajong in East district, Karmang College in Namchi, Institute of Capacity Building and the State Institute of Rural Development at Karefectar in the South district.
The capacity for these complexes, where energy demand is more because of a large number of users, has been kept at 100KW daily for each.
The Sikkim Renewable Energy Development Agency (SREDA) will execute the project that would generate 550KW of power every day.
According to SREDA sources, the Centre has sanctioned Rs 14.23 crore for the project but 10 per cent of it would be paid by the Sikkim government.
“A report prepared by our engineers has been approved (by the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission) and the places (where solar lights would be installed) have been identified. We will take up the installation work from February with a target to complete it by April,” said a SREDA official.
“Once the project is complete, the government complexes can run fully on solar power and they would not need conventional energy. They will be green complexes,” said the official.
He, however, added that the conventional power grid in these buildings will not be disconnected and the authorities will have the option to switch over to conventional power supply in case there is a need.
“Even during the rainy season, when the sun is blocked by clouds, there will be no problems in charging the batteries that will supply solar power as the photo-voltaic cells that will harness the sun’s energy do not need direct sunlight to convert it into power. Even diffused sunlight will activate the cells,” a SREDA engineer said.
The principal of Sikkim Government College, M.P. Kharel, said he was eagerly waiting for the installation of solar lights in the institution. “It will be very good for our college and it will become a green campus with the use of renewable energy. An important message will also go out to the students and the community. We are looking forward to the installation of the system,” he said.
The Singtam district hospital (6KW) and the State Trading Corporation of Sikkim (9KW) are the only two buildings in the state that have solar power now. The solar lighting system had been installed in these buildings about a decade ago.
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