Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) has added a new grid-connected solar power project on its premises, taking the total installed solar capacity in the university to 6.5 MW.

The rooftop project has been installed under Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) program. AMU has the largest solar power project among all academic institutions in the country.

The new solar rooftop addition will be on the rooftops of the Senior Secondary School-Girls, Ajmal Khan Tibbiya College, Sarojni Naidi Hall, S N Hall, Women’s Polytechnic, Bibi Fatima Hall, Department of Computer Engineering, New Hall for Girls, Trauma Centre, and Nadeem Tarin Hall.

“About 4.8 MW capacity project has been operational in the campus for the past two years. The university is also equipped with 3.3 MW ground-mounted solar plant,” said Mohammad Rihan, in charge of the Electricity Department and NISE-MNRE empaneled nodal officer.

He added, “AMU is continuously contributing to the National Solar Mission. These installations are also helpful for students to learn concepts of grid-connected solar PV projects, the concept of net metering and other research challenges”.

With the Indian government’s push, rooftop solar projects are being adopted by private as well as government-owned educational institutions across the country.

Recently, Tripura University has installed rooftop solar systems totaling 500 kW at its premises, spread over multiple buildings at the university campus. This is the first university in northeast India to have installed a solar project of this scale.

In December 2018, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) – Indore joined the league of green campuses in the country by installing 422 kW solar rooftop system in its premises. Around the same time, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) also installed a 500 kW rooftop solar system to light up its classrooms. Mumbai’s St Xavier’s High School has also installed a 35 kW rooftop solar system to save approximately ₹700,000 (~$9,726) every year on its electricity bill.

In November 2018, Mercom reported on the news of Delhi’s Jamia Milia Islamia University installing a 2.25 MW Rooftop Solar Project. In July 2018, Amity University installed rooftop solar PV projects aggregating 1.8 MW across three campuses. In May 2018, IIT Kharagpur had invited an expression of interest to develop 5.5 MW of solar projects. In May 2018, Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology in Uttarakhand’s Pantnagar town also tendered a 5 MW grid-connected rooftop solar PV project.

Image credit: Aligarh Muslim University

Nitin is a staff reporter at Mercomindia.com and writes on renewable energy and related sectors. Prior to Mercom, Nitin has worked for CNN IBN, India News, Agricultural Spectrum and Bureaucracy Today. He received his bachelor’s degree in Journalism & Communication from Manipal Institute of Communication at Manipal University and Master’s degree in International Relations from Jindal School of International Affairs. More articles from Nitin Kabeer