BSNL Kerala has installed 505 kWp solar rooftop power plants on its buildings in the state. The first solar rooftop power plant commissioned on the administrative building in Manacaud was inaugurated by P.T. Mathew, Chief General Manager, BSNL Kerala. The solar power plant is of 65 kWp capacity.
According to the Business Line similar plants will be commissioned on 12 more BSNL buildings this month.
A BSNL spokesperson speaking to the publication said this will be scaled up to a project involving 2,000 kWp capacity, extending all over the state, utilising the shadow-free rooftops of all telephone exchange buildings.
The solar rooftop power project initiative has been conceptualised on the RESCO (Renewable Energy Service Company) model, with zero investment from BSNL. Under the RESCO model solar power generated from the plant will be made available to BSNL by the developer at a fixed rate for the next 25 years.
BSNL will wheel the excess electricity generated from the plant to the grid, and this could also be used by another BSNL building.
The total capacity of the current array of 505 kWp solar power plants is approximately 7.4 lakh units of pollution-free electricity annually. This will, in turn, reduce about 600 tonnes of carbon emission.