Kochi Metro Rail Ltd on Monday signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with AMP Solar India Private Ltd under which the latter will supply 2.3 MWp solar power to the agency.  The power generated by the plant will be connected to the power distribution system of KMRL. As per the agreement, AMP Solar India will set up a ground-mounted solar plant on the land available in KMRL’s Muttom depot. The agreement is on condition that KMRL will purchase solar power at the lowest rate quoted by the successful bidder for the next 25 years. The PPA was signed by KMRL director of projects Thiruman Archunan and AMP Solar director (Distributed Generation) Shriprakash Rai, in the presence of KMRL MD A P M Mohammed Hanish.

“KMRL has always taken the effort to make Kochi metro the most environment-friendly, green metro in the country, and we are committed to taking up all possible measures towards this goal,” said Mohammed Hanish. “Today, we are very happy to add 2.3 MWp more by erecting solar panels in the vacant space at our Muttom yard. We are on the lookout for opportunities to generate more solar power and become more energy efficient.” The plant will be commissioned in nine months.

The power generated by the plant will be connected to the power distribution system of KMRL, which will utilise the energy generated by the plant. The plant is capable of producing 34.3 lakh units (KWH) of electric energy per year. With this green initiative, KMRL will be able to save about Rs 63 lakh per year of energy cost directly, in addition to the indirect benefit of saving in fossil fuels and reduction in pollution.

This would raise the total solar power generated by the Kochi metro rail project to 6.3 MWp. KMRL has adopted the renewable energy service company model for both their solar projects, where the vendor will undertake the complete investment as well as the operation and maintenance, and KMRL will purchase power from the vendor. At present, the Kochi metro rail project has placed solar panels on the rooftop of 16 stations and buildings in the metro yard. The installed capacity of the rooftop project is 4 MWp.

Source: http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/kochi/2018/feb/06/green-route-23-mwp-solar-plant-for-kochi-metro-rail-ltd-1768906.html

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