Bedecked with the Sun: Farmer transforms his home into 1 kilowatt powerhouse

Aurangabad: A Samarthnagar home is decking up ahead of the Akshay Urja Diwas, with a view to become a powerhouse.

Ashok Thonte, a farmer by profession, has installed one kilowatt rooftop solar power plant at his residence in Samarthnagar area. "The plant has the capacity to generate about five units of solar power per day and can export up to three units per day to the grid, on a sunny day," said Thonte.

The plant will be inaugurated by Aurangabad divisional commissioner Umakant Dangat and later would register with the MSEDCL for excess power purchase.

Suresh Ganeshkar, chief engineer, MSEDCL, Aurangabad zone said, "A consumer interested in installing a solar power plant should first seek MSEDCL's permission. The MSEDCL will pay the consumer for any excess energy fed into the grid at the end of the financial year. However, the net meter in the premises of the eligible consumer shall be procured and installed by MSEDCL at its own cost."

Thonte's house has a solar power plant with a generating capacity of one kilowatt, which would generate 4500 units of power per year, considering 300 days of sunshine.

"As I would require only two units per day, the excess power generated would be fed into the MSEDCL grid. However, I had plans to sell the excess power to my neighbours as I had to pay nearly Rs 12,000 to install net metre grid after which the MSEDCL would purchase solar power at a meagre price of Rs 3.50 per unit, while in turn charges over Rs 8 per unit for electricity, which is discouraging," said Thonte.

He has been using solar cooker from 1980 and solar water heater since 1984, but expressed unhappiness over the non-cooperation by the local government agencies who seem to be least bothered to encourage people to use green energy. "Though the civic body has promised 5% rebate in property tax for installing solar water heater, I had to make several rounds to get only one year of tax sop," he said.

"Rooftop photovoltaic systems offer a great opportunity to institutions, industries, and other buildings using UPS, inverters, batteries and diesel generators to reduce energy costs and to ensure power continuity in the event of a severe power shortage," said Sham Dande of Apar Urja, a voluntary organisation engaged in promoting solar energy generation.

"For base calculation, 1 kilowatt of solar PV installation will cost Rs 80,000 to 90,000 and generate 4 to 4.5 units per day. Such installations take up roof space of about 10 to 12 square metres," he explained.

With the city still growing and receiving 300 days of sunshine, there is a huge potential to generate solar power through rooftop plants, he added.

Newsletter

Price of goats has gone up due to lack of supply in Kannivadi goat market

As farmers are not keen to sell the goats at the Kannivadi goat market, the arrival of goats has come down for the last...

Tomato prices fall sharply in Udumalpet - produce indiscriminately thrown on the road

Tomato prices were sold at Rs 200 per kg a few months ago. Now that the price of tomatoes has fallen drastically due to...

Tomatoes sold at Rs 6 per kg in Palladam - Farmers put veil on their heads and express anguish

Farmers in Tirupur district are suffering as tomatoes were procured at just Rs 6 per kg at the Palladam uzhavar santhai....

TNAU's Dept. of Plant Pathology hosts one-day training on 'Spawn Production and Mushroom Cultivation' in Coimbatore

Over a 100 beneficiaries from Kongunadu Arts and Science College in Coimbatore participated in the training which was pr...

Coimbatore TNAU observes Parthenium Awareness Week

Dr.M.K.Kalarani, Director (Crop Management), TNAU, Coimbatore has inaugurated the Parthenium awareness campaign at TNAU...

TNAU conducts Training on Preparation of instant Foods

Two days training on “Preparation of instant Foods” will be held at Centre for Post Harvest Technology, Agricultural...