The Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, has floated a 15 kW tender for a solar hybrid system with back-up provision. The system is to be installed at Bilaput, in the sub-district of Koraput in Odisha.

The last date for the submission of bids is October 30, 2019.

IIT-Delhi has specified that the solar module array must consist of high-efficiency solar modules utilizing polycrystalline high-power silicon solar PV cells. Further, the solar PV module should not be less than 320 W with a cell efficiency of more than 16% and a module efficiency of 14.5%.

According to the tender, the degradation of power generated should not exceed 20% of the minimum and the rated power over 25 years. The bid also mentions that the efficiency of the solar PV system should be guaranteed 90% for up to 12 years and 80% for up to 25 years.

All materials which will be used in the works should be of standard quality and manufactured conforming to the Indian Standard Specifications (ISS) and should bear ISI Mark, as far as possible, unless otherwise approved by the Power Finance Corporation (PFC).

As far as the installation is concerned, the successful bidder is expected to install PV panels both on the rooftop and on the ground. The successful bidder will also be responsible for civil works connected with the construction of buildings and other facilities under special conditions of the contract.

The cost of the project has been estimated to be ₹80 million (~$ 1.11 million).

Various branches of IIT across the country are engaged in harnessing solar power for their energy requirements.

In September 2019, the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, also issued a tender for the installation of grid-connected solar energy projects totaling 1,100 kW at its campus.

Then in August 2019, the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, floated an expression of interest (EoI) for three smart grid field pilots combining renewable sources (solar and biomass) and storage (Lithium-ion and flow batteries). This is part of a project called U.S.-India Collaborative for Smart Distribution System with Storage.

In December 2018, IIT Indore joined the league of green campuses in the country by installing a 422 kW solar rooftop power system on its premises. The project was commissioned by BVG India Ltd, an integrated services company.

It is worth mentioning here that in January 2019, the Ministry of Science and Technology set up a solar energy harnessing center at the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras.  According to the government, the center will have a network of scientists from IIT Madras, IIT-Guwahati, Anna University, ICT-Mumbai, BHEL, among others, and these scientists will focus their research on developing high-efficiency silicon solar cells that are suited for the geographical conditions of the country.

Anjana is a news editor at Mercom India. Before joining Mercom, she held roles of senior editor, district correspondent, and sub-editor for The Times of India, Biospectrum and The Sunday Guardian. Before that, she worked at the Deccan Herald and the Asianlite as chief sub-editor and news editor. She has also contributed to The Quint, Hindustan Times, The New Indian Express, Reader’s Digest (UK edition), IndiaSe (Singapore-based magazine) and Asiaville. Anjana holds a Master’s degree in Geography from North Bengal University, and a diploma in mass communication and journalism from Guru Ghasidas University, Bhopal.