Solar Power to light Maulana Azad Medical college

New Delhi: Using clean and renewable energy for its medical centre's pathology block and two hostels Maulana Azad Medical College has set yet another benchmark.The first hospital in the city, the medical college has been getting power supply through solar cells installed on its rooftop.

The effort has been made as part of the initiative being made by the Delhi government to promote non-conventional sources of energy. The hospital, in turn, is doing so in an effort to reduce its carbon footprint and assist the government's initiative thus.

Generating a 200-kilowatt peak MAMC has plans to go completely solar in the coming two months. Kilowatt peak or kWp is the maximum possible output of a solar generator operating under standard conditions.

"We are partially generating our own power for the hospital and will get self-sufficient very soon," Dr Sidharth Ramji, Dean, MAMC informed DNA. "The project is in line with the government's vision and thus the installations were done free of cost for us. We are bearing fruits and getting electricity discounts now."

The installation work of the solar panels began in November last year and was completed in 20 days say hospital authorities. The free power has reduced electricity consumption by half, officials added.

The Zero discharge aimed at by the hospital in its clean efforts will now be targeting its toxic wastes, in the coming months.

According to officials an 'effluent treatment plant' and a 'sewage treatment plant' will be ready by late March. These plants will treat the hospital's wastewater which will then be used for gardening and flush tanks reports DNA

Under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission, the state government plans to generate 500 kW through rooftop photovoltaic cells at hospitals.

With a lifespan of 25 years the grid-connected generating unit , a 1kw power plant can generate up to 1,400 unit in a year. Require little maintenance these power plants become reliable power sources for a long time to come.