Banasura Sagar dam-top solar project to be launched on Aug 29

The eastern part of the dam, which gets unhindered sunlight throughout the day, has been selected for the project.

Padinjarathara: Power is the keyword, be it sun or rain, and Banasura Sagar dam is all ready to increase its power potential with its newly introduced solar power segment. After the successful floating solar panels on the dam water surface which produced 10 KW of energy. The project that aims to produce 5 lakh units of electricity in a year will be inaugurated on August 29 by Electricity Minister Kadakampally Surendran.

The eastern part of the dam, which gets unhindered sunlight throughout the day, has been selected for the project. The elevated panels will also couple as a walkway for the visitors protecting them from the intense sun and rain. Completed at a cost of Rs. 4.3 crore, as many as 1650 panels having a capacity of 250 watts have been set for a length of 285 meters. The power generated will be sent to 9 inverters each with 50 KW capacity. From here, the power will be transmitted to the 33 KV power stations in front of the dam station and will be distributed further.

Another 600 KW power floating project is also on the anvil. Once this project is completed, Banasura Sagar dam will become the biggest solar power station in Kerala. The floating solar panel project, the brainchild of two young engineers from Wayanad, Ajay Thomas and V M Sudhin, producing 10 KW power each has been a success encouraging further forays into the segment.

Currently, the state requires 24,000 million units of power a year and the more than half of the required quantity is being purchased from its neighbors at an exorbitant cost of Rs. 13 per unit. The success of the twin mode power generation at the dam site will boost the renewable energy scenario in the country encouraging further the exploration of non-polluting and sustainable energy sources to meet the ever increasing demands.