by Mehtab Shinde
PUNE, DEC 11, 2017: Don Bosco Junior College, Yerwada switched to clean energy generation using solar electrification and a 31 Kilowatt solar plant, to power 
fans, air conditioners, lights, water pumps and computers at the institution on December 5.
The solar plant designed, delivered and installed by ONP Solar, is based on GridTie technology, which doesn't use batteries. The plant has a capacity to light up 31 homes with one KW. The plant consists of 96 unit high standard Tier-1 international brand solar photovoltaic panels coupled with a 25KW GridTie Solar inverter.
Father Francis Fernandes, the administrator, said, "We used the best of technology from ONP Solar. Our aim was to use the best quality products, for a simple reason that we need to secure value for money in a short-term by reducing our electricity bills and also contributing positively towards the environment in the long-term."
In a city like Pune, where power tariffs are high, a project of this nature would be very cost effective. It would also reduce carbon footprints. "The city's power situation can be transformed if we begin using electricity generated through solar plants. Most important here at Don Bosco, we will be saving 40 tonnes of carbon emission, year on year," Father Michael Bansode, the Rector, said.
Father Bosco D'Mello, the Principal, added, "The students of our institution will get to see a live solar plant on any given day and learn the benefits of going green and clean. The whole idea of installing solar cells was to teach the concept of sustainable development to our students, which would in turn reduce the forms of pollution in the environment. Children have tender minds, if we teach them good, they will do good to society and it all starts from the place they receive their education."
The college has also applied for net-metering facility, this will help to export excess power generated during weekends and holidays, to a MSEB Grid. Through this process our clean energy generation will add great value and avoid wastage of clean energy.
The initiative is aimed at making the institute adopt environment-friendly systems and to reduce the use of power from the grid. Electricity generation is the institutions way of reducing global warming and achieving a 'zero energy' status in the next couple of months.