PANAJI
In the works for nearly a decade concurrent with Panaji’s ‘smart city’ aspirations, the proposal to convert the capital into a ‘solar city’ is refusing to get kick-started for reasons unknown.
Sources in the Goa Energy Development Agency (GEDA), which functions under the ambit of the Department of New and Renewable Energy, said no timeline can be set for when the solar panels and allied equipment will begin adorning the nearly 75 government edifices and properties already identified for the purpose as of now.
An official who requested anonymity said, phase one of the proposal to transform Panaji into a solar city involves installing solar power units with an aggregate capacity of 13 megawatts but no decision has been taken as to when to start the physical implementation.
Some of the buildings identified include Udyog Bhavan, EDC headquarters, Kala Academy, Goa College of Music, the Sports Complex at Campal, Directorate of Health Services, Junta House, Goa Dental College, the new building of Forest Department at Altinho, Goa Medical College at Bambolim, Fire Services headquarters, Bal Bhavan, Panaji Bus-stand and the multi-level parking edifice at Patto.
The plan is backed by the Centre which has appointed Deutsche Gesellchaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbelt (GIZ) as the consultant to provide technical guidance to Goa for the project.
The official said, GIZ has already prepared a detailed plan to transform Panaji into a 100% RE City (Solar City) and a potential to produce up to 20 MW of solar energy has been identified – on residential buildings (7.23 MW), commercial buildings (6.87 MW), government buildings (2.64 MW) and 3.98 MW in open spaces.
The plan also takes into account the capital city’s future energy demand from transport, which is expected to be a significant portion of the city’s total demand, the official said.
According to the GIZ proposed plan, Panaji has a maximum potential of 20.3 MW through roof-top installations, 34.5 MW of off-grid solar PV charging stations for transport vehicles while it also advocates developing a ‘Solar Park’ in the vicinity of Panaji with a capacity of 74 MW.
GIZ’s plan is to have Panaji become a 100% RE city in roughly over two decades but it points out that to achieve this it is crucial that 13 MW of roof-top solar energy and a solar park energy capacity of about 20 MW is developed in the next five years which the GEDA official said is quite an ambitious timeline in the current scenario of preparedness.
