Switch on Solar
Most parts of India receive a large amount of solar radiation for 250 to 300 days in a year. This adds up to a potential of producing 6,000 million GWh of energy per year. Our project aims to bridge this gap by introducing solar technologies in schools across India. This initiative will be supplemented with education focused on energy conservation and climate change mitigation. The ‘Schools on Solar’ project (which was later expanded to include hospital and rebranded to Switch on Solar during COVID) will also help schools develop a financial plan to reinvest some of their savings from the solar installation into energy efficient devices such as LED lighting systems.
The Schools on Solar project ensures a low carbon, clean source of energy with minimum maintenance and only an initial capital investment. The focus of this project is a solar installation with environmental education. The energy conservation and efficiency campaign will be designed by the Centre for Environmental Research and Education (CERE) and will be managed by the school teachers and CERE together. At a national level, the campaign will also be facilitated via a web-based portal, which will be developed and managed by CERE. This online portal would not only steer the conservation campaigns of the schools but also provide all the necessary information about the Schools on Solar initiative while providing a platform for participating schools to share and exchange ideas. The entire project is self-sustaining and can be driven by students themselves with only minimal intervention by CERE.
The pilot phase of the project started on 15th December and is scheduled to finish by mid-February. The project has a total of 4 stages, which have been outlined below. The initial stage primarily involves the development of learning material and tools to measure, reduce and monitor energy consumption. This stage also includes the training of some students as part of the ‘Sustainability League’ and a teacher or teachers to supervise the same. Once the students are trained, they will be motivated to conduct energy conservation efforts in their school. The conservation efforts, along with the savings from solar to install LED lights and other energy efficient appliances, would bring in additional financial savings to the school. CERE would then assist the school to move to lower energy slabs on their meter to further reduce expenditure on energy consumption from the grid.
Details can be found on Switch on Solar’s website.
Pilot schools:
1. R. F. D. Panday Girls’ High School
R. F. D. Panday Girls’ High School is government-recognised Parsi Minority unaided institution established in 1898. Located in Central Mumbai, the school serves 600 students between the ages of 3 years and 15 years. Although primarily a girl’s school, it is co-educational up to the fourth standard. While the school is supported by a Parsi trust, the student population is diverse serving the local community, with hardly any Parsi children as students of the school.
A 10.35 kWp solar system was installed for Panday Girls’ High School. A total of 30 panels were installed in a span of 1 week. The installation begins with the simultaneous set up of earthing strips, inverter and air circuit breaker (ACB) panels. Earthing pits are dug up to connect the strips to the ground. The framework of the panel is then set up using roof anchors and aluminium frame. Concrete blocks are placed on top of these structures to prevent any uplift. The panels are then placed on these frameworks. DC cabling and other electrical wirings are then completed and analyzed for any anomalies.
With this installation, the school will generate 13,000 kWh of electricity annually. With the installation of the panels, Bai Ruttonbai F D Panday Girl’s High School will save 89,310 INR annually from their electricity bill. Consequently, this would also result in the reduction of Carbon Emission by 10.66 MTCO2e.
2. Marwari Vidyalaya High School
Marwari Vidyalaya is located in Girgaon, and schools 1786 children from the ages of 5 through 15. Students are typically from poverty-stricken families; parents of these children work as daily-wage labourers, tend to be illiterate and are often unable to afford even nominal school fees. The school has 65 teachers and offers education in English and Hindi medium.
The final installed capacity based on best inputs and requirements was that of a 12.42 kWp system. A total of 36 panels were installed in a span of 1 week.
With this installation, the school will generate 16,000 kWh of electricity annually. With the installation of the panels, Marwari Vidyalaya will save 1,24,160 INR annually from their electricity bill. Consequently, this would also result in the reduction of Carbon Emission by 13.12 MTCO2e.
3. Sophia College for Women – Polytechnic Building
Sophia College for Women is an undergraduate women’s college established in 1941 by the Society of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It is affiliated to the University of Mumbai. The governing body of The Society for the Higher Education of Women in India runs the college. It is a Christian Minority Institution. It is dedicated mainly to the all-round education of youth. The main building, which is a heritage structure, has been enlarged over the years to accommodate lecture halls, library and an audio-visual room.
The array of Solar Panels with a capacity of 16.56 kWp was to be installed atop the Polytechnic building. A total of 48 panels fixed on the roof of the Polytechnic building. With this installation, the school will generate 22,000 kWh of electricity annually. With the installation of the panels, ‘Polytechnic building’ will annually save 1,52,900 INR from their electricity bill. Consequently, this would also result in the reduction of Carbon Emission by 18.04 MTCO2e.
4. Sophia College for Women – Bhabha Institute of Science
The Faculty of Science occupies a separate building, the Bhabha Institute of Science, and is equipped with state-of-the-art laboratories, a common instruments room, classrooms and a large auditorium.
The array of Solar Panels with a capacity of 29.325 kWp was said to be installed atop the Bhabha Institute of Science. A total of 85 panels were fixed on top of the Bhabha Institute of Science building. With this installation, the school will generate 40,000 kWh of electricity annually. With the installation of the panels, Bhabha Hall will annually save 2,93,200 INR from their electricity bill. Consequently, this would also result in the reduction of Carbon Emission by 32.8 MTCO2e.
5. The Cathedral and John Connon School
The Cathedral and John Connon School is a coeducational private school established in 1860 by the Anglo- Scottish Education Society. Located in Fort, Mumbai, the school has five sections: Pre-Primary, Infant, Junior, Middle and Senior school. One of the oldest British schools in the country, it houses 1,960 boys and girls divided into four houses named after the founding fathers.
The final installed capacity based on best inputs and requirements was that of a 21 kWp system. A total of 60 panels were installed in a span of 1 week. With this installation, the school will generate 28,000 kWh of electricity annually. With the installation of the panels, Bhabha Hall will annually save 2,17,280 INR from their electricity bill. Consequently, this would also result in the reduction of Carbon Emission by 22.96 MTCO2e.
The ‘Schools on Solar’ project has the potential to scale up and can be adopted by successively larger numbers of schools across the country; the entire project is self-sustaining and can be driven by the students themselves with only minimal intervention by CERE.
Solar panels are a visible signal that the company installing them is committed to sustainability and a clean energy future. How companies and corporations are responding to environmental responsibility is an increasingly important issue; by taking action to support clean, renewable energy, companies can signal to potential customers that they care about more than just turning a profit. Installing solar is a great way to generate positive buzz with stakeholders and the local community.