‘Using solar energy in every household will increase self-sufficiency’

Exhibition on solar energy products held 

Mysuru; India’s abundant solar energy potential provides a clean and attainable replacement for the extremely harmful, polluting and rapidly depleting conventional sources of energy. Using solar energy in every household will increase self-sufficiency and at the same time will enable energy conservation and a lot of savings in electricity bills, said Additional Commissioner of Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) N.M. Shashikumar. 

He was speaking after inaugurating National Energy Safety Day organised by Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Limited (KREDL) at Institution of Engineers auditorium recently. He opined that solar energy is the only way to ease power shortage in Karnataka. If every household utilises solar energy then the burden of supplying power will reduce and this will enable Karnataka to be self-reliant, he said.

Karnataka is the pioneer in renewable energy-based power generation. Though 25 percent of the energy comes from sources, majority of the potential are still not exploited. “Currently, the State is facing electricity deficiency problem where the supply-demand gap is becoming wider, he added. 

“Karnataka is generating 15,261 Mega Watt power from mini hydro-electric stations, wind energy, power from sugar factories, bioenergy and solar energy. This generation, though encouraging, is not sufficient at all for the State to minimise the use on electricity. Using freely available energy like the solar energy, one can achieve electricity savings and at the same time be environment-friendly,” Shashikumar opined. 

In his introductory remarks, KREDL Project Engineer D.K. Dinesh Kumar said that with an intention of promoting use of solar energy, the State Government has implemented many projects including the solar rooftop project. Under the project the solar power can be used for household purposes while the surplus power will be transmitted to the electricity grid by the meter.

This initiative encourages people to harness solar power and generate electricity to meet their domestic needs. This initiative also aimed at gradually reducing the burden on the State electricity companies, he explained. 

On this occasion, an exhibition on solar energy products, renewable energy and alternative energy sources was organised. District Director of Srikshetra Dharmasthala Gramabhivruddhi Yojana Trust V. Vijayakumar Naganala and others were present.