Airport rooftop solar array joins power grid
A rooftop solar plant at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International (SVPI) airport commissioned on Tuesday, a statement from airport officials said. “As an initiative towards fulfilment of the government of India’s target for installation of 40GW rooftop solar power plants by 2022, Airport Authority of India (AAI) has commissioned a grid-connected 700kWp rooftop solar plant at Ahmedabad airport. This will be the largest rooftop plant commissioned in Ahmedabad and is expected to give a big boost to renewable energy,” the statement from the city airport director’s office said. The grid-connected rooftop solar system has been installed with a subsidy from the ministry of new and renewable energy (MNRE). The power from the solar plant will be used to meet the captive requirements of Terminal-1 buildings and the surplus power, if any, shall be fed to the grid under the net-metering arrangement with the distribution companies, the statement said. Anand Kumar, chairman of Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission (GERC) was the chief guest. Brian Poole Authentic Jersey
Power engineers suggest ways to cut losses, lower tariff
Punjab Power Engineers Association (PPEA) has said if power meters were shifted out of the premises of the consumers in the remaining areas, as had already been done in major parts of the state, the tariff could be reduced further. The association has also argued that state should acquire a thermal plant of supercritical technology to ensure that its Pachhwara mine could be utilized and fixed charges of Rs 2,000 crore, paid to private players, could be saved annually. On Tuesday, a zonal meeting of PPEA here was attended by around 100 engineers from Jalanndhar, Hoshiarpur, Nawanshahr and Kapurthala circles. Addressing a press conference after the meeting, PPEA president Bhupinder Singh said the aggregate technical and commercial (AT&C) losses in Punjab were one of the lowest in the country at 14%. He said losses of neighbouring states were in the range of 30%. Punjab’s losses could be brought down further if remaining meters in high-theft areas were also shifted out, he said, adding that Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) was able to supply uninterrupted 24 hours power supply in the rural areas too. PPEA secretary Abhiraj Singh and another office-bearer Anil K Vij said strong government support and political will were required for the purpose and the AT&C losses could be brought down to around 10%. They said Punjab should acquire a thermal plant of supercritical technology without any delay to ensure that cheap and good quality coal was utilized from Pachhwara mine. So far, the mining rights were not being used and there were chance that the Centre could cancel the mine allocation, they said. Punjab could save fixed charges of around Rs 2,000 crores being paid to private thermal plants as fixed charges and this would ultimately benefit the consumers, the association said. The association members also suggested that the state government should adapt UDAY scheme of the Union government without any delay for financial turnaround of PSPCL. The corporation had already met the set parameters, it added. Enrique Hernandez Womens Jersey