Thiruvananthapuram becomes Kerala’s first solar city

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala’s capital is on its way to becoming the state’s first solar city, setting a model for the rest of the country. As part of the initiative, rooftop solar plants have been installed in 494 government and public sector institutions across the city. These plants, with a combined capacity of 15.8 megawatt peak (MWp), have already begun functioning and have generated 1.996 crore (19.96 million) units of electricity.

This has helped prevent the emission of 19,964.67 tonnes of carbon dioxide.

The plants are connected to the KSEB grid, enabling the institutions to fully meet their power needs through solar energy. In addition to reducing electricity bills, surplus energy can also be sold to KSEB. Efforts are underway to replicate this model in other districts as well.

Solar plants have been installed across a wide range of institutions including anganwadis, educational institutions, health centres, police stations, KSRTC units, and railway facilities.

Thiruvananthapuram was selected for the solar city project following a central government directive emphasizing the need to tap into renewable energy sources to meet the growing energy demands of urban areas. The initiative, implemented under the Smart City project with equal funding from both central and state governments, involves a total investment of 105 crore Rupees.

Each location had its own dedicated tender process for installation. The installation costs are borne by the Smart City project, and each plant comes with a 10-year warranty.