AIIMS to go green, to set up solar power plant

New delhi: AIIMS has decided to go green by using solar energy and reduce its electricity bill by 50 per cent over the next two years. The AIIMS has joined hands with Japanese conglomerate Hitachi to set up a solar power generation unit in its premises.

The one megawatt facility will come up on the roof of the parking space located near the Centre for Dental Education and Research, AIIMS. Japan-ese government organisation New Energy and Industrial Technology De-velopment Organisation (NEDO), which promotes development and introduction of new energy technologies, will provide Rs 100 crore for the project. The remaining cost of Rs 30 crore will be incurred by AIIMS. At present, AIIMS’ total electricity bill stands between Rs 48-50 crore per year.

“Hitachi will set up a solar power generation system as well as introduce measures to reduce total energy expenditure of the institute by as much as 50 per cent by 2019,” said chairman, computerisation, AIIMS, Deepak Agrawal.

The solar power generation unit will use the latest technology and will have a mechanism to track the movement of the sun for maximum energy output. “Besides setting up a solar farm, Hitachi will replace the outdated chillers and AC plants and replace those with energy efficient chillers. It will also replace around 30,000 bulbs with LEDs so that energy is saved,” added Dr Agrawal.

He said the project was pending for almost over two years and Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Japan in November last year had discussed the project with his Japanese counterpart.

“The project is unique in a way because it required the approval of the Japanese Cabinet for release of funds.” The Union health ministry had announced Green AIIMS project in June 2014 and aims to increase the number of green hospitals in the country.