Srinagar, Feb 16: In a significant stride towards embracing clean energy, the Jammu and Kashmir Government has unveiled plans to solarise 20,000 government buildings in the first phase through the Renewable Energy Service Company (RESCO) model. This approach involves private developers solarising buildings and recovering costs over 10 to 15 years through energy production.
Commissioner Secretary of Science and Technology, Saurabh Bhagat, exclusively shared insights with Rising Kashmir, highlighting the transformative impact this initiative will have on the energy landscape. By reducing electricity bills for various departments and contributing to environmental conservation, the project aims to revolutionise government operations.
The initiative targets approximately 20,000 to 22,000 buildings across different departments in the union territory. Already, 2,000 buildings under Central Government jurisdiction have been handed over to the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India.
In the next phase, 18,000 buildings belonging to major departments such as School Education, Rural Development, Home, Health and Medical Education, and others will undergo solarisation. To ensure success, committees comprising department heads, planning officers, and finance incharges will collaborate with NHPC, JKEDA, REC, and Discoms of Jammu and Kashmir.
The strategy focuses on total megawatts rather than rooftop installations on every building. Solar plants will be strategically placed in centralized locations to optimize energy production and reduce maintenance efforts.
Key buildings like Deputy Commissioners’ offices, educational institutions, health facilities, and police stations will receive priority in the solarisation process. Various departments, including Discoms of PDD and PDC, will play vital roles in implementing virtual net metering.
The collaboration with NHPC, JKEDA, REC, and Discoms of Jammu and Kashmir underscores a multi-faceted approach to ensure the success of this solarisation initiative. Increasing vendor participation aims to create job opportunities and promote long-term employment prospects.
With government departments currently consuming 500 MW of electricity, the solarisation initiative aims to reduce this usage to zero, redirecting surplus electricity to industrial sectors. This endeavour is poised to contribute to a cleaner, sustainable energy landscape and foster progress in the Union Territory.
