AAP govt to set up 3MW solar plant

Claiming that it has saved ` 68 lakhs in electricity bills, the Delhi government on Tuesday said it has the only green state Secretariat of the country running on solar energy.

According to the government, it received was awarded a certificate of recognition for its achievement at the recently held IPPAI Power Awards in Goa.

“In order to make Delhi Secretariat, the first green Secretariat of the country running on solar power on net zero basis, power department, Government of NCT of Delhi, is in process of setting up 3 MW solar PV plant on the vacant land of IP Station, Delhi. 1 MW capacity of this plant has already been commissioned and the Delhi government saved ` 68 lakhs in electricity bills by using solar power in Delhi Secretariat upto August 2016,” a government statement said.

The government said the 3 MW solar plant will soon be operational in the capital.

At the award function on September 24, power secretary Sukesh Kumar Jain, who received the award on behalf of the Delhi government, highlighted various initatives taken by the Kejriwal government in the field of renewable energy, especially to promote use of solar energy on the rooftops of government and residential buildings.

As per the government, Mr Jain also spoke about the innovative measures announced in recently approved “Delhi Solar Policy — 2016” like group Net- metering, virtual Netmetering, generationbased incentives, mandatory deployment of solar system on government/ public institutions and waiver of inspection by chief electrical inspector upto 200 KWP solar PV plant, etc.

“The Delhi Solar Policy — 2016 has been appreciated widely, including by the United Nations Committee on Climate Change, Green Peace, ministry of new and renewable energy and the solar power developers,” the government said, claiming that it is committed to making the national capital a solar city.

“To achieve this goal, the Delhi government decided to start the work from Delhi Secretariat itself,” it added.