Feb 10 2011
Surat, an Indian city known for diamonds, will soon be known as ‘solar city’ in the next few years.
The Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) has employed a consultancy company, based in Gurgaon, for making an assessment and preparing the elaborate plan that will allow the city to earn the solar city grade covered by the central government project. The consultancy firm will be paid Rs.3.46 lakh for its work.
The master plan for the project is projected to get ready by the year 2012. The plan will have a detailed record on the electric power intake of the city and its anticipated carbon dioxide release level. The Municipality is likely to supplement a minimum 10% of its conventional fossil fuel energy usage by renewable energy usage at the end of five years by implementing renewable energy projects and by conserving the use of energy. For the purpose of implementing such clean energy usage the municipality intends to classify the buildings into residential flats, business complexes, industries, separate individual homes, buildings owned by the corporation and the government and others owned by corporates.
Surat, Gandhinagar and Rajkot are the three cities selected from the State of Gujarat among the 60 cities selected by the Indian Government for implementing the renewable energy projects under its 11th Five year plan. The Central government will offer a grant of Rs.10 lakh every year to carry out the project. The power generated from the renewable solar energy sources will be utilized to supply power to the street lights, to run water pumps owned by the municipality and to light its buildings.
Source: http://www.suratmunicipal.org/