Baru sahib Educational Trust sets example in energy Conservation

1. Wednesday, September 21,
2011, Chandigarh, India
BATHINDA EDITION
Solan,September20
The Baru Sahib-based Kalgidhar
Educa onal Trust has set an
example in conserving the
environment by u lising solar
energy for mee ng its in-house
arrangements.
Explaining the idea behind
installing solar energy gadgets, MP
Singh, ins tute’s adviser on solar
energy, said, “Having a strength of
2,000 students in its hostels and an
equal number in its 2,000-bed
hospital, the trust was daily
u lising a large amount of fuel in
the form of LPG and kerosene,
which in turn let-out the unhealthy
carbondioxideintotheatmosphere.”
Hea ng up of 15,500 litre per day of water for the hostels meant a huge drain on the electricity every month.
Thereforetooffsettheadverseimpactoffuelusage,itwasdecidedtoapproachtheMinistry ofRenewableEnergyto
help put in place a solar energy power plant. A detailed project report of Rs 8.7 crore was prepared, where the
ministry pooled in Rs 5.4 crore and the state’s HIMURJA gave the tenders to a private firm, Moserbaer, for supplying
therequiredinfrastructure.
This helped to build a solar energy-based power plant of 200 KW which is dependent on 6 to 7 hours per day of good
sunshine. This helps create a ba ery bank which is converted into AC through an inverter and this helps meet the
power demands of the trust to a large extend. MP Singh, a former BHEL official, and SJS, a solar energy consultant,
helpedpreparethedetailedprojectreporta erassessingtheavailabilityofsunshineinthecampus.
This has helped trust make savings of Rs 8 lakh to Rs 10 lakh per annum as power generated through solar energy is
used to meet the in-house requirements. Since it requires no transmission lines, the system has no dependence on
thestatepowerboard.
It helps save power and is a versa le op on for far-flung areas where supplying power is a difficult proposi on,
explainsSingh.
With low maintenance cost, the trust plans to expand its scope in the future keeping in view the in-house needs. The
Kalgidhar Trust has not only set an example of conserving the environment, but has also emphasised the need for
othereduca onalins tuteshavinghugepowerdemandtoinvestinthiscleansourceofenergy.
Baru Sahib educa onal trust sets example in
energy conserva on
Ambika Sharma