<p>Apart from the three megawatts (MW) grid-operated solar power plant to be set up by Karnataka Power Corporation Limited (KPCL), two more projects are nearing completion in Belgaum and Raichur.<br /><br />Almost a hundred years ago, Karnataka created history by becoming the first State in the country to generate electricity. Now, it has achieved another milestone by becoming the first State to produce solar energy, much before the implementation of National Solar Mission by the Union Ministry for Renewable Energy.<br /><br />The State has taken up three power projects of three MW each to tap solar energy. Of them, one in Yelesandra village near Bangarpet will be commissioned on June 17 by Farooq Abdullah, Union Minister for Renewable Energy.<br /><br />Of the other two, one in Itnal near Chikkodi in Belgaum district will be inaugurated by Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa within a month, while another in Yapaldinni in Raichur district will be functional within six months.<br /><br />“These cost effective and eco-friendly pilot projects are aimed at providing power to rural areas especially irrigation pumpsets (IP), ” said D C Krishnamurthy, Executive Engineer, KPCL, who is in charge of the project. <br /><br />Biggest plant in India<br /><br />The Yelesandra project, which was completed in December, has been generating about 15,000 units per day and will contribute five million units to the state grid every year. This is the biggest plant in India with 13,300 panels, each with a capacity of producing 230 watts, and has been supplying power for 600 IP sets for about six hours a day.<br /><br />The plant, which begins its operation with the first light of the sun, works for about ten months effectively in Kolar’s climatic condition, said KPCL. During monsoon, the generation will come down to 4,000 to 5,000 units per day, but during summer the plant generates 15,000 units per day and up to five lakh units every month.<br /><br />Established at a cost of Rs 59 crore, the project requires minimal maintenance and is monitored through simulated control and data acquisition system from Bangalore. “We have just 14 staffers working in the field. The plant requires one engineer and five operators and a security guards working in two shifts,” said Krishnamurthy. He said the entire functioning of the plant can be monitored from Bangalore at an annual maintenance cost of Rs 10 lakh.<br /><br />Ten more projects<br /><br />Encouraged by the success of the solar-powered project, the KPCL will be taking up 10 more projects in six districts in Haveri, Bagalkot, Tumkur, Shimoga, Mandya and Mysore. <br />Land has been identified in Kaginele and Shiggaon, Haveri; Koodalasangama, Bagalkot; Shikaripura, Shimoga; Madhugiri, Tumkur; and in Mysore and Mandya districts. KPCL will be providing land and the technology required to set up the plants of 10 MW each.<br /><br />These projects to be taken up as public-private partnership will be funded by the Ministry of Non-conventional Energy under Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission and is still in its infancy, but will be commissioned within nine months after the project commences.<br /><br />Working of solar power<br /><br />The heat from the sun is transformed into DC power through silicon modules. The DC current is converted into AC current through the 12 huge invertors with a capacity of 250 KW each and the same will be fed into the state grid. <br /><br />The expertise of KPCL in tapping the solar energy has attracted the attention of Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, as the State has been offering consultancy to these states to install solar-powered plants.<br /><br />Carbon credit<br /><br />KPCL’s solar power plant at Kolar alone can save 4,500 metric tonnes of carbon emission as well as can earn upto Rs 35 lakh through carbon credits.<br /></p>
<p>Apart from the three megawatts (MW) grid-operated solar power plant to be set up by Karnataka Power Corporation Limited (KPCL), two more projects are nearing completion in Belgaum and Raichur.<br /><br />Almost a hundred years ago, Karnataka created history by becoming the first State in the country to generate electricity. Now, it has achieved another milestone by becoming the first State to produce solar energy, much before the implementation of National Solar Mission by the Union Ministry for Renewable Energy.<br /><br />The State has taken up three power projects of three MW each to tap solar energy. Of them, one in Yelesandra village near Bangarpet will be commissioned on June 17 by Farooq Abdullah, Union Minister for Renewable Energy.<br /><br />Of the other two, one in Itnal near Chikkodi in Belgaum district will be inaugurated by Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa within a month, while another in Yapaldinni in Raichur district will be functional within six months.<br /><br />“These cost effective and eco-friendly pilot projects are aimed at providing power to rural areas especially irrigation pumpsets (IP), ” said D C Krishnamurthy, Executive Engineer, KPCL, who is in charge of the project. <br /><br />Biggest plant in India<br /><br />The Yelesandra project, which was completed in December, has been generating about 15,000 units per day and will contribute five million units to the state grid every year. This is the biggest plant in India with 13,300 panels, each with a capacity of producing 230 watts, and has been supplying power for 600 IP sets for about six hours a day.<br /><br />The plant, which begins its operation with the first light of the sun, works for about ten months effectively in Kolar’s climatic condition, said KPCL. During monsoon, the generation will come down to 4,000 to 5,000 units per day, but during summer the plant generates 15,000 units per day and up to five lakh units every month.<br /><br />Established at a cost of Rs 59 crore, the project requires minimal maintenance and is monitored through simulated control and data acquisition system from Bangalore. “We have just 14 staffers working in the field. The plant requires one engineer and five operators and a security guards working in two shifts,” said Krishnamurthy. He said the entire functioning of the plant can be monitored from Bangalore at an annual maintenance cost of Rs 10 lakh.<br /><br />Ten more projects<br /><br />Encouraged by the success of the solar-powered project, the KPCL will be taking up 10 more projects in six districts in Haveri, Bagalkot, Tumkur, Shimoga, Mandya and Mysore. <br />Land has been identified in Kaginele and Shiggaon, Haveri; Koodalasangama, Bagalkot; Shikaripura, Shimoga; Madhugiri, Tumkur; and in Mysore and Mandya districts. KPCL will be providing land and the technology required to set up the plants of 10 MW each.<br /><br />These projects to be taken up as public-private partnership will be funded by the Ministry of Non-conventional Energy under Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission and is still in its infancy, but will be commissioned within nine months after the project commences.<br /><br />Working of solar power<br /><br />The heat from the sun is transformed into DC power through silicon modules. The DC current is converted into AC current through the 12 huge invertors with a capacity of 250 KW each and the same will be fed into the state grid. <br /><br />The expertise of KPCL in tapping the solar energy has attracted the attention of Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, as the State has been offering consultancy to these states to install solar-powered plants.<br /><br />Carbon credit<br /><br />KPCL’s solar power plant at Kolar alone can save 4,500 metric tonnes of carbon emission as well as can earn upto Rs 35 lakh through carbon credits.<br /></p>
