Gandhi wants solar power plant for Raj Bhavan

  • 13/08/2008

  • Indian Express (New Delhi)

Kolkata, August 12: After installing the city's first rainwater harvesting project in Raj Bhavan, Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi is aiming for another first: a clean energy project to meet the power requirements of Raj Bhavan. Lalu, kin got land in exchange for Rly jobs, as gifts: JD(U) to PMCorruption in projects: World Bank to send team No space for Third Front, secular forces must unite, says PaswanAll-party team wants both Jammu, Kashmir groups on board for talksSomnath Temple to carve its future in gold Wholesale Solar Small Wind Turbine Human Energy And to this end, he has written to the West Bengal Green Energy Development Corporation (WBGEDC). Confirming the receipt of the letter, S P Gon Chowdhury, Managing Director of WBGEDC, said the corporation will prepare a project proposal and a technical report on the use of solar energy in the Raj Bhavan. The power requirement of the Raj Bhavan is about 400 kilowatt and a considerable fraction of it will come from solar energy. "We will set up a solar power plant and connect it to the main grid,' said WBGEDC officials. At present, there are just two solar CFL street lamps in the Raj Bhavan premises. Raj Bhavan officials said that after its implementation, the solar energy project would take care of the entire power requirement of the Raj Bhavan. Such a facility could also be extended to the staff quarters, an official added. According to experts, solar power plants of 2 megawatt capacity have already been set up in the state and a 400 kilowatt power plant will not impose any problem. On several occasions in the past, the Governor has stressed on issues like global warming and the need for ecological intelligence and use of alternative energy. On August 7, while speaking at the convocation of the West Bengal University of Technology, he had said: "The scope for technological innovation in renewable energy sources like solar energy has no limits.' As part of Gandhi's exemplary power saving measures, the size of his official convoy has been cut down from eight cars to three. Since May 7, the Governor has also been observing voluntary powercuts for two hours a day. Despite criticism from CPM leaders, the Raj Bhavan is still adhering to its two-hour powercut schedule every day.