Hindusthan Shipyard inaugurates 2-MW roof-top solar power
VISAKHAPATNAM: The Hindusthan Shipyard Limited (HSL) here has taken a commendable initiative in setting up a 2-MW roof-top solar power system and the other public sector units in the city and elsewhere should emulate the company, according to Visakhapatnam district collector Pravin Kumar.
He was speaking in the HSL after inaugurating the solar system, developed by CleanMax Solar, India’s largest rooftop solar developer, on Thursday in the presence of Rear Admiral (retd) L.V. Sarat Babu, the Chairman and Managing Director of HSL, and Umakant Shende, the Chief Operating Officer of CleanMax Solar.
The system, the largest rooftop solar plant in Andhra Pradesh at a single location, will help the HSL to save Rs 48 lakh per annum in energy costs, while reducing its environmental footprint. The rooftop solar plant will meet about 35 per cent of the HSL’s total power consumption,with 28 lakh of units of clean solar energy being generated per annum.
Seven buildings on the HSL premises have been equipped with solar panels. The project was constructed under the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) Rooftop Solar Scheme. Under the scheme, CleanMax Solar will invest, construct, own and operate the solar plants under a long-term power purchase agreement.
Umakant Shende, the Chief Operating Officer of CleanMax Solar, said the project had been completed in a record time of six months or so, quite an achievement for a PSU.
CMD L.V. Sarat Babu said the HSL had taken up the green initiative to set up the solar power system to contribute to the growth of the state and country. “We want to enhance the capacity to 4 MWs in future,” he said and spoke at length about the turnaround achieved by the HSL.
S.K Mishra, the Director of Solar Energy Corporation of India, said the Union Government had set a target for installation of 40 GW of solar power capacity by 2022 and the initiatives such as the one taken by the HSL would go a long way in achieving the target.
M. Harinarayanan, the commissioner of the Greater Visakha Municipal Corporation (GVMC), praising the HSL, said the GVMC was also generating 4 MWs of solar energy and the tendering process had been completed for adding 5.5 MWs more.
Source: thehindubusinessline
