Tirupati , June 16 :

solar energyAt last the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam has concentrated on solar power generation to reduce its power bill.

As a first step the electrical department of the TTD has installed photo voltaic plates which can generate 100 kw solar energy.

Two donors of Chennai – Krishna Rao and Mohan Rao – have donated this plant and L&T will take care of this plant. Though there is plenty of space on roof top of the administrative building, there are few obstacles to install solar panels.

Hence the power generation was restricted to 100 kw against the consumption of 400 kw. The estimated cost of this project is at about Rs. 88 lakh.

Speaking to ‘The Hans India’ Venkateswarlu, TTD superintending engineer said that the installed photo voltaic plates could generate only 100 kw solar energy which can fulfill only one-fourths of the total consumption.

Solar energy was used for only synchronization rather than backing up, he added.

The energy generated from solar plates can be utilized for lighting and fans to the entire building, not for the air conditioners, he said.

The DC-based solar energy would be converted to AC through specialized converters, he said.

The synchronization work is under progress and the functioning of this solar plant may start soon, he replied. More than 370 solar panels are fixed on terrace, he said.

To reduce the power bill, the TTD is taking several steps like installation of solar energy plants, increasing the capacity of wind energy and erection of capacitors.