Chandigarh looks to become a ‘solar city’ in a decade

After elaborate energy audits and surveys,the TERI report lays out detailed plans on how to reduce Chandigarh’s dependence on traditional fuel and power sources,thereby bringing down the emissions of greenhouse gases. At present,Chandigarh emits 12,443,95 tonnes of carbon dioxide every year (primarily due to electricity,petrol and LPG consumption). This is expected to go up to an alarming 29,201,05 tonnes by 2018.

The target is to ensure that solar energy (a completely non-polluting variant) meets 10 per cent of the total energy requirements of the residential and commercial sectors in Chandigarh by 2012. The report says if suitable measures are taken,UT can meet 20 per cent of its residential and commercial power requirements through solar energy by 2018.

“The population of the city is growing and so is the requirement for civic amenities. If we have to ensure that the residents continue to enjoy world-class living standard,non-conventional energy sources need to be explored. Solar energy is critical in this regard,” says Union Minister of State for Finance Pawan Bansal.

The draft of the DPR envisages two solar electricity generation units,which will start functioning by 2012. One of them,with a capacity of 25 MW,has been planned near the Patiyala ki Rao rivulet. There are plans to install roof-top solar energy generation grids too.

An official remarks: “By 2012,at least 2.5 MW electricity should come from rooftop devices. This will go up to 10 MW by 2018. The opportunity is right. Chandigarh receives solar radiation to the extent of 1944 kWh per square metre annually,which is ideal for harnessing solar energy. Of the total 114 square km area of the city,74 km square is constituted by residential and commercial sectors. We plan to have solar devices of around 100 kilowatt capacities atop commercial buildings and 25-50 kilowatt capacity systems in residential sectors.”

Streetlights are a major consumer of electricity and the report comprises measures to replace them with more energy efficient systems.

Besides Chandigarh,another planned city of India,Gandhinagar,is undertaking a solar city project. It was India’s first initiative towards a solar city. The report for this project,too,was prepared by TERI in 2007. It is currently under implementation.

Inconvenient Truths

* Chandigarh produces 12,443,95 tonnes of carbon dioxide every year. This will go up to 29,201,05 tonnes by 2018

* There are a total of approximately 2,44,134 families in the city. They account for 80 per cent of the total daily solid waste (380 tonnes). With a projected population of around 16 lakh in 2021 from the existing 10 lakh,solid waste is expected to go up significantly

* Petrol consumption in the city will go up from the present around 66,000 kilolitres to 2,70,403 kilolitres in 2018. The diesel and LPG consumption are expected to jump from 1,00,340 litres to 3,90,970 litres and 96,708 tonnes to 1,37,342 tonnes,respectively

* Total electricity consumption of Chandigarh is expected to be 2,195 MU in 2014 and 3,089 MU in 2018

* Streetlights alone consume 16.5 MU of electricity in Chandigarh annually