DJB turns to solar power to cut costs, protect environment

NEW DELHI, June 21: Looking to reduce its power bill and also help in environmental conservation, the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) has set up a solar power plant at its Varunalaya Office Complex here. "Currently, the solar power plant is generating around 6600 units of electricity per month, which has led to an immediate saving of a monthly Rs 55,000. "The installation cost of the plant is Rs 53.55 lakh. Further, steps are being taken to evacuate the additional power in the grid, especially on the weekends and holidays, when the power demand of DJB is low," said a senior official. Speaking about the project, DJB CEO S S Yadav said, "DJB has made innovative use of space by installing solar panels on the rooftops of the Underground Reservoir. "It is striving hard to look at non-conventional sources of energy, which will reduce its power bill - the biggest expenditure for the utility - and also help in environment conservation." Officials said that while there are several benefits of using solar energy, the most attractive aspect to it was that the creation of solar energy requires very little maintenance. "Once the solar panels have been installed and are working at maximum efficiency, there is only a small amount of maintenance required each year to ensure that the solar panels are in working order," they said.