The Indian Institute of Technology-Kanpur (IIT-K) has decided to set up a 500 kw Solar Energy Research Experimental Station (SERES) at its campus.
For six villages near the campus, it will also mean an end to their dark lives as the institute will supply power produced by the solar stations to these villages free of cost.
The villages — Nankari, Bara Sirohi, Singhpur, Bakunthpur, Naramau and Kachchar — are electrified, but the power supply is highly erratic. Work on the project will start in six months and it will be operational in four years.
The IIT-K has taken up the Rs 18 crore-project to celebrate its golden jubilee year — 2009. The project has already received the IIT Board’s nod, and a 11-member team from the faculty and students has been constituted to work out the details.
The land has been identified at Shivli Road, near the institute, for setting up an energy distribution centre to supply power to the villages.
The IIT-K Director, Sanjay Govind Dhande, said, “There is an acute power crisis in many parts of the country, and it is our responsibility to explore more resources to generate electricity.”
Since solar energy is expensive than thermal or hydro energy, he said, “Through this project, we will undertake research on reducing the cost of
solar energy so that it can become affordable for people,” said Dhande.
The 500 kw plant will be sufficient to provide electricity to the six villages, he added
