???Smart City??? Surat signs a MoU to tap solar energy

In order to generate solar power through rooftops of buildings in Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) limits, the civic body has inked a MoU with Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI).

The MoU engaged SECI, which is a central public sector undertaking under Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), for setting up solar power plants on the rooftops of the residential, educational, commercial and industrial buildings in Smart City Surat.

Surat Municipal Commissioner Milind Torwane and SECI managing director Ashvini Kumar signed the MoU at SMC headquarters at Muglisara. Following the signing Commissioner Towane said, ???We have signed an MoU with SECI and are hoping to start the process of inviting applications from those interested soon. We have already installed solar rooftop power panels on our main building, and other buildings of SMC and are generating solar power.???

The civic body would also coordinate with local discoms in association with SMC for net metering of the generated solar power as per the prevailing regulation of the state government. The life span of the solar plant is 25 years while maintenance and installation work would be entrusted to a third party agency.

All residential buildings opting for this would get 30% and 10% subsidy from the Central and state governments, respectively. The union government would give 30% subsidy for hospitals and educational institutes while Renewable Energy Service Company (RESCO) would give 30% subsidy for commercial and industrial complexes.

Source : Urbannewsdigest