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FOR A BETTER KOLKATA -Solar Power must for high rises

By djain128, Section Electricity
Posted on Mon Apr 11, 2005 at 08:51:55 PM EST

FOR Power department pushes for change in building laws to ensure increased use of unconventional energy in urban areas

If you're buying an apartment in one of the city's many highrises, make sure that your promoter has made provisions for harnessing solar energy in the building. As the state gears up to enter into an era of green power, it is considering changes in the building by-laws to ensure use of solar power in urban areas.

Of Law & Light

Make provisions for compulsory use of solar panels in apartments

Arrange for stand-alone photo-voltaic panels for lights in parks, gardens and boundary walls

The smallest solar panel in the market costs Rs 22,000

The panel lights up four standard tubes for a period of six hours

Power minister Mrinal Banerjee has written to urban development minister Asok Bhattacharya urging him to insert the clause in the building laws. Power department officials have taken up the proposal with Kolkata Municipal Corporation also. "We had a dialogue with the mayor. He has encouraged us," said special secretary S.P. Gon Chowdhury.
Andhra Pradesh has taken steps to ensure a proper mix of conventional and non-conventional energy. The state has made solar panels compulsory for lighting commercial billboards and advertisement panels. Karnataka is also contemplating similar laws to encourage the use of solar power.
West Bengal is taking a step ahead of Andhra Pradesh while following the AP model in the use of solar power. The state would encourage households and public bodies to light up parks, gardens, boundary areas and even apartments by green power instead of the traditional thermal power. "We intend to begin with the upcoming highrises in the urban areas," said the power minister. Promoters will have to incorporate photo-voltaic panels in the supply system in the highrises to get the building plan sanctioned by KMC. The proposal once enacted will be enforced in individual domestic households as well. The move, however, is likely to pinch pockets if the solar panel companies don't slash prices. The lowest market price for a 100 W solar panel is around Rs 22,000. "Energy generated from the panel will light up four standard tubes for six hours at a stretch. The buyer will get a subsidy of Rs 4,500 from the government. One doesn't have to pay any extra charge for all the hours," said Gon Chowdhury.
The proposal is a priority for the high-power committee for preparing perspective plans in the power sector till 2020.
The committee led by Subimal Sen plans among others to "dovetail non-conventional and conventional systems" thus bringing down the carbon emission rates as found in thermal power plants. At the same time the panel aims at handling the fluctuations in the power demand curve during peak and off-peak hours.
Integrating the system with non-conventional energy during peak hours will help to tackle the situation and also help in better management of the boilers in thermal power plants.

Source The Times of India dt 07-04-2005 By Saugata Roy
http://epaperdaily.timesofindia.com/Daily/skins/TOI/navigator.asp?Daily=TOIM

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