In 2014, when former Chief Justice of India P Sathasivam started his tenure as the Governor of Kerala, he set up a vegetable garden at his official residence. Since then, he has regularly distributed all his self-grown fresh and organic garden produce to his staff at Raj Bhavan.

Now, it is the turn of Maharashtra Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao, who has decided to transform all his homes in Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur, to function on solar energy. In the recent past, a series of new initiatives were introduced by the state government, including opening the Raj Bhavan for visits to the general public, setting up a biodiversity park and allowing students and researchers into the Raj Bhavan in Nagpur.

After carrying out a thorough study, Raj Bhavan officials have decided to use the bhavan’s six acre land along the Ganeshkhind Road in Pune to set up ground-based solar panels, capable of generating more than 15 lakh units of power annually. The Maharashtra Energy Development Agency (MEDA) is the nodal agency for this project.

“The Governor shared his idea with the Raj Bhavan staff on the very first day in office in August 2014. Since then, we have been working on various proposals and were involved in identifying appropriate land. The installation was to be such that it not only met the present day but also all future power requirements at these three homes,” Vasant Salunke, Comptroller of the Governor’s Household, told Pune Newsline.

After awarding a tender to RelyOn Solar, a private firm based in Pune, the project of installing 3,500 solar panels was sealed and work commenced in April this year.

Describing the energy requirements of the house of the first citizen of the state, Salunke said, “At present, there is a requirement of 10 lakh units every year. But while the project was being conceived, we decided that it would be better to harness substantial surplus power, so that power losses incurred during transmission to other cities could be balanced, alongside catering to the future power needs of these residences.”

Raj Bhavan has replaced all existing bulbs, air conditioners, fans and other electrical equipment with power saving and efficient devices. Solar powered lights are now extensively used for lighting up the common areas , including garden, lawns, corridors at these residences, Salunke said.

The final project, estimated to cost Rs 8 crore, will generate 16.5 lakh units of power from these panels annually, creating a surplus of 6.5 lakh units per year, which the governor’s office is hoping to supply to the state government.

“All of the surplus power will be provided to the state government, which can in turn generate revenue out of it. The 1 Mega Watt plant in Pune will be the biggest power generator,” he added. The solar power generated in Pune will also be used to completely light up the Raj Bhavans in Mumbai and Nagpur, thereby saving the burning of 2,500 – 3,000 tonnes of coal, corresponding to the Raj Bhavan’s annual power consumption.

When asked about the commencement of full scale operations, Salunke said, “The installations and testing works are nearly complete. The Governor is expected to inaugurate the solar power project in Pune’s Raj Bhavan in the very near future.”

Source: http://indianexpress.com/article/india/soon-3500-solar-panels-to-light-up-state-governors-residences-4878502/

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