Delhi Govt to Install Solar Panels on 1,000 Buildings for 55 MW Green Power

The Delhi government will install solar panels on about 1,000 buildings across the city to generate 55 megawatts (MW) of green energy, officials said on Friday.

The initiative covers hundreds of government schools, over 40 fire stations, 24 Delhi Jal Board offices, and more than 70 Municipal Corporation of Delhi buildings, with installations expected to begin shortly.

Officials said the move is projected to save over Rs 50 crore annually in electricity costs and reduce carbon emissions by 46,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide every year.

The Delhi government has made rooftop solar systems mandatory for all government buildings with an area exceeding 500 square metres. Out of the 3,880 such identified buildings, more than 1,200 have already been equipped with solar installations.

Last month, at an event in northwest Delhi’s Rithala, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta launched a project targeting 55 MW of electricity generation from rooftop solar plants.

Inaugurating a 25 kW solar plant at the Rithala sewage treatment facility, Gupta said, “This work will be completed by January next year. The solarisation of government buildings will start in the coming days.”

Officials said the project is a major step toward Delhi’s long-term goal of expanding renewable energy use and reducing dependence on fossil fuels.

(With inputs from agencies)