It is time for religious places to gradually erase their carbon footprints and Puri’s famous Jagannath Temple has taken a step in that direction by adopting renewable energy as part of its initiative to use clean energy for its day-to-day operations in various segments.
A 30 KW solar power facility will be soon installed at the temple under an initiative of the Odisha Renewable Energy Development Authority (OREDA) to shift to cleaner energy at sites of importance. The Kolkata-based Vikram Solar, a solar module manufacturing company, will set up the plant.
The successful implementation of this project would reduce the historic temple’s dependence on grid power during the daytime as it would use power generated from the solar photovoltaic (SPV) units for its self consumption. As per the agreement, Vikram Solar will extend comprehensive service support to the temple management committee for the next 15 years. The company will be fully responsible for supplying the solar photovoltaic modules and other associated equipment, including installation and commissioning of the facility.
Gyanesh Chaudhary of Vikram Solar said that special care is being taken to cause the least inconvenience to the temple visitors; at the same time, the design of the installation is done in such a manner so as to retain the feel and texture of the ancient architecture for which the temple is known for as one of the chardhams of the country.