Lucknow varsity to have solar power on both campuses
LUCKNOW :The University of Lucknow is going for complete solar power. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between the hfm Solar Power Pvt Ltd and LU for installation, engineering, production and maintenance of solar power generation on both campuses of the university.
LU is the first state university to have such an agreement for generation of solar power, claimed LU spokesperson NK Pandey.
“The agreement is for a period of 25 years. The university doesn’t have to pay for installation, generation of solar power and the company will bear all the costs. The work is proposed to be completed in the next three to four months,” he said.
The solar power is subsidised by the Solar Energy Corporation of India.
A 01 kw solar power plant generates electricity of 04 units per day (average). A 1,000 kw solar power plant will generate electricity of 4,000 units per day (average) and 120,000 units per month, he said.
The university will pay to the company at Rs 3.91 per unit as compared to the much higher rates of payment for the UPPCL.
As per an approximation, the university may save up to Rs 66 lakh per annum and more than Rs 16 crore over the period of 25 years, he added.
Pandey said, “Notably, the rates of UPPCL may increase year on year but the solar power rate per unit will remain fixed over the entire period of 25 years. Generating this much electricity is equivalent to planting 25,000 plants. Moreso, this energy generation is pollution free and environment friendly. No carbon emission will be there. CO2 emissions are expected to be reduced by 1,460 tonnes each year.”
Initially, the rooftops earmarked for solar panel installations are of department of mathematics, PG Block, bio-chemistry block, department of zoology, JK Hall and Yoga Service Centre, Mahmoodabad Boy’s Hostel, Habibullah Hostel, Chandra Shekhar Girls’ Hostel and Mess, Acharya Narendra Dev Boys Hostel, Kailash Girls’ Hostel, Golden Jubilee Girls’ Hostel, Lal Bahadur Shastri Hostel, he said.
The MoU was signed by finance officer SD Maurya on behalf of LU and by OP Jaipuria, director, hfm. Those present during the signing of MoU were pro-V-C Prof UN Dwivedi, registrar Prof RK Singh, proctor Prof Vinod Singh and others.