Mangaluru (TOI) : Firing his zest for green energy further, MLC Ivan D'Souza on Thursday announced his intent to help 50 aided and government schools in Dakshina Kannada district install solar roof top units. Each of these schools will get a 3-kW solar roof top unit at an estimated cost of Rs 2.5 lakh. The total cost of the project is around Rs 1.25 crore and this will be met from his local area development fund and from other corporates and donors, he said.
"I will write to all eight MLAs is the district to give names of five schools in their respective assembly constituencies," Ivan told reporters here. In addition, 10 schools will be kept in reserve to harness potential of such schools where installing these units will provide rich dividends, he said adding it is his aim to complete this project in one year. The MLAs may send in names of schools they select either directly to him or through the deputy commissioner's office, MLC said.
Noting that each 3-kw unit can produce 12 units per day or 360 units in a month, Ivan surmised that with Mescom offering Rs 9.56 per unit of solar power produced, the schools stand to earn Rs 34.41 crore per month. The respective schools after deducting their charges for power consumed by them may use rest of the amount for school development activities. "I will suggest that the schools use this surplus to procure sports equipment for use by students," he noted.
With schools closed for holidays on an average of four months each year, Ivan said the schools will be in a position to use the surplus revenue for their myriad developmental activities. With the solar panels carrying a 25-year guarantee and rest of the equipment, five year guarantee, schools need not bother about their upkeep as the respective companies will take care of the same, he said adding this will be a self-sustaining model for the schools and fillip to green energy.
Ivan said the schools stand to earn Rs 114.72 per day (for 12 units); Rs 3441.60 per month (360 units); Rs 41,299 per annum (4320 units) and Rs 10,32,480 for 25 years (1.08-lakh units). This example, Ivan said will no doubt spur other government aided and may be even private schools to go in for solar roof top units. Ivan incidentally has spent Rs 26 lakh to provide solar roof top units for 40 houses in endosulfan affected villages, one in DCs office and in 6 GPs.
