West Bengal may Set up Grid-Connected Solar PV Power Plants in Schools

KOLKATA, June 29: The state government is planning to set up rooftop grid connected Solar PV power plants in 1,000 schools in West Bengal, power and non-conventional energy sources minister Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay told the Assembly today.

Replying to a question, Chattopadhyay said the solar panels would be installed at 1,000 schools and in all state government offices.

Under the Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS), the West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (WBSEDCL) will invest Rs 43 crore for setting up rooftop solar PV power plants in the next five years.

So far power plants of total six MW (approximate) capacity have been set up throughout the state.

Some of the important projects are Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Limited (100KWp), Central Glass & Ceramic Research Institute (HT) (37.5KWp), Ramkrishna Mission Vidyamandir, Belur Math (153.4KWp), Dinabandhu Andrews College (20KWp), Modernland Girls' High School (10KWP) and Bijioygarh Vidyapith (10KWp), the minister said in his speech.

Private sector organisations have also set up this kind of power plants and such organisations included - Auckland Jute Mill (500KWp), Patton International Limited (Behala Works) (100Kwp), ILEAD Foundation, Matheswartala Road (20Kwp), he said.

This rooftop power plant with Net-metering facility has drastically reduced monthly energy bill of institutions, he said adding that this success has brought a paradigm shift in the state's approach towards setting up of Solar PV power plants.

Later talking to reporters, Chattopadhyay said that installations at 302 educational institutions have already been completed.

 -PTI