Sri Venkataramana Swamy (SVS) College in semi-urban area in Bantwal takes the credit of being the first degree college in the taluk for tapping solar energy.
The solar system, with 32 roof-top solar panels of 8 kW capacity, was commissioned in the college on Monday. It is spread over 480 sq. ft and has the capacity to produce 32 units of power a day.
According to college principal Panduranga Nayak, the college uses an average 2,000 units of power from the grid a month. The solar system could produce 960 units of power a month. With this, close to half of the total power requirement of the college would be met by the solar system, he said.
The system has been set up at a cost of Rs. 8 lakh with the initiative of Kudige Prakash Shenoy, correspondent of the college. There were plans to enhance its production capacity by adding more panels, the principal said.
The initiative could prompt some students to take up employment in solar power-related sector, said T.K. Ravindran and Thukaram Poojary, associate professors at the college.
As SVS group of institutions manages a CBSE school, English-medium high school and pre-university college, students would be exposed to the new initiative.
Presently, the college will utilises solar power on working days. Excess power, if any, will be transferred to the grid and Mangalore Electricity Supply Company (Mescom) would utilise it. Mescom will pay Rs. 9.56 per unit to the college. The bidirectional meter will show the solar power transferred to the grid.
Solar power generation unit
It has 32 roof-top panels
8 kW production capacity
It produces 32 units of power a day
Panels spread over 480 sq. ft
It was commissioned on Sept. 21
