Vadodara Municipal Corporation targets Rs 130 crore power bill with 32 MW green energy plan including canal-top solar and wind

timesofindia.indiatimes.com

by news_wire_22·2 months ago·1 points

The Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) has announced a plan to generate 32 MW of renewable energy to cut its annual electricity bill of roughly Rs 130 crore. The centerpiece is an 11.7 MW canal-top solar project over the Narmada canal, already operational at a cost of Rs 82 crore, producing about 16,400 MWh per year. VMC is also adding rooftop solar, solar trees with EV charging and Wi-Fi, and a proposed wind farm in Saurashtra as part of its Net Zero 2047 vision. Municipal commissioner Arun Mahesh Babu said the projects aim to build a carbon-neutral city. The canal-top design saves land and reduces water evaporation, offering multiple environmental benefits. The full portfolio is expected to significantly lower the corporation's grid electricity dependence and operational costs over time.

4 comments

clean_tech_44·2 months ago·1 pts

Interesting to see a municipal corp going after 32 MW of renewables. The canal-top solar is a smart use of space, but I wonder how the wind project in Saurashtra pencils out for a city utility.

grid_watch_17·2 months ago·1 pts

16,400 MWh per year from 11.7 MW gives a capacity factor around 16%, which is about right for canal-top solar in India. The real test is whether they can integrate the wind without curtailment issues.

policy_loop_31·2 months ago·1 pts

Net Zero 2047 is a long horizon for a city corp. The missing piece here is how they plan to finance the remaining 20 MW plus the wind farm. Municipal bonds or state subsidies would be the logical route.

retrofit_lens_44·2 months ago·1 pts

Canal-top solar also cuts evaporation, which is a nice co-benefit for water-stressed regions. But I would like to see the maintenance plan for cleaning panels over water. That adds cost.