Temples gear up to tap solar power

 

Chennai: A good number of ancient temples across Tamil Nadu will use gr­een power for illumination to bring down power bills and harness this benign power in consonance with the state government's solar energy policy.

 

The process of installing 10 kw and 20 kw plants, as per the requirement of the temples, has commenced and the plants will be commissioned by the end of this year. According to sources, the state Hindu religious and charitable endowments (HR&CE) department is in the process of installing solar power plants in 13 temples besides the office of the HR&CE commissioner here.

 

Among the temples, a 10 kw SPV power plant without battery is proposed for Sri Dha­ndayuthapani Swamy temple, Angala­mman temple, Sri Bhav­aniamman temple, Sri Balamurugan temple, Sri Bhagavathy Amma, Kanyakumari, Sri Renugambal Amman te­mple and Sri Ranganatha Swamy temple, and a 20 kw plant will come up at Devi Karumariamman temple, Thiruverkadu, HR&CE office, Sri Arunachaleswarar temple and Sri Subramanya Swamy temple.

 

Besides, solar panels with 2-5 kw will be established at Sri Parth­asa­rathy temple, Vada­palani Murugan temple and Sri Kapaleeswarar temple.

 

Sources said the Tamil Nadu energy development agency (TEDA) has invited tenders for installing solar power plants at the temples and they will be grid interactive and able to provide about 30 per cent of the power requirement for the shrines. Since these projects do not entail the deployment of more manpower, temple staff will be trained to handle them.

 

Though some temples have taken up similar projects on their own, this is the first time that the HR&CE department has taken the initiative to harness solar power. "Depending upon the success, it will be extended to other temples," an official said.