Wind Energy

Civic body to set up 8.4 MW wind farm in Surat

Following the success of the past, Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) has taken one more initiative to go green and decided to set up another wind power project of nearly 8.4 megawatt capacity. The wind mill to come up in coastal Saurastra in Porbandar and will cost the civic body Rs 63 cores but once commissioned it will give 1.58 crore units of electricity which is nearly 11 per cent of the total consumption of the civic body.

Municipal Commissioner MK Das talking to TOI said, "We have called for tender proposals for the project and once they are approved by standing committee we work towards setting up this plant." Talking to TOI Lights and fire committee chairman GC Gopani said, "We approved the estimates of Rs 52.08 crore for the construction and Rs 10.65 crore for the operation and maintenance of the wind mill for the period of ten years."

The wind turbines will be of the capacity of 7.5 megawatt to 8.4 megawatt capacity depending up on wind turbine generation (WTG). The unit will produce 1.76 crore units of power of which SMC will be able to use or get credit for 1.58 crore units, after deducting 10 per cent loss. "We plan to commission this before March 2013." Said Gopani. SMC is planning to use the credit from generation of power from this project in the expenses of Katargam water works and water distribution centers HT services. SMC is the first body to have two of its wind mills operational at odedar of Porbandar district in Saurastra generating electricity up to 1.5 megawatt each.

The initiatives of SMC in going green and helping the environment from the effects of climate change by taking number of initiatives are first of its kind and apart from Wind power civic body has started programmes to generate power from solar energy. Main office at Mugalisarai and Science center will also be equipped with solar power generating units by the end of the year.