Indore (Mahya Pradesh): Indore Smart City's resolve in 2023 to transform the city into a Solar City has run into trouble as the solar panel suppliers have not been able to keep pace with the demand for the panels.
Indore Smart City Development Limited CEO Divyank Singh said, 'ISCDL does not have any funds specifically for the Solar project and is directly dependent on PPP mode which will be boosted in future.'
He added that the model code of conduct that was enforced in quick succession for the Vidhan Sabha and Lok Sabha elections has also led to the slow pace of execution of the drive.
Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargav, while talking to Free Press said that the solar city project is on but its pace is slow due to unavailability of solar panels. The demand for solar panels is high but the supply is weak due to which the project has been adversely impacted.
In the first phase of the Solar City project, it was decided to install solar power plants on the roofs of government buildings.
In the first meeting of the solar city project held in January 2024, it was decided that 25,000 rooftop installations would be done in the next three months but by April 2024 only 1,000 new installations were completed as per the data by West Discom taking the total installations to 7,500.
By the first quarter of 2024, solar power plants installed on buildings in the city generated around 40 MW of electricity every year, which is targeted to be increased to 300 MW in the next few years.
As per the rough estimates, the total roof area of buildings in the city is 125 lakh square metres and 20 per cent of it can be used for installation of solar power plants.
SOLAR POWER IN CITY
Atal Bihari Vajpayee College - GACC ------------ 18000 Units
MY Hospital ------------- 21000 Units
Collectorate Office ------------- 11000 Units
Government Dental College ------------10000 Units
Mental Hospital in Banganga ------------ 17000 Units
Police Training Center ------------- 11000 Units
Khajrana Ganesh Temple - It generates electricity worth Rs 1.5 lakh/month
Vidhya Dham - Electricity worth Rs 2 Lakh per month
IMC GTS Stations - (Solar at 10 GTS) 2KW panels are there which generates electricity worth Rs 1.5Lakh a month at each station.
Masakin- E-Safiya
Rajendra Nagar - Solar panels at 75 houses
Mahalaxmi Nagar and Basant Vihar - (Satyasai Zone area) -350 houses have solar panels
Mayor Says
'We suffer from lack of supply from firms due to which the work of solar city has suffered.' --- Pushyamitra Bhargav, Mayor
ISCDL CEO says
'Awareness programmes are going on and we will take the plan ahead on PPP mode.' --- Divyank Singh, CEO, Indore Smart City Development Limited
