India’s leading rooftop solar power EPC company has been selected to provide services to the Chennai Metro system in the state of Tamil Nadu.
CleanMax Solar will set up six megawatts rooftop solar power capacity atop stations and coach yard of Chennai Metro. Through these power systems Chennai shall join several other cities in India where metro systems have adopted solar power to meet a substantial share of their energy needs.
Chennai Metro shall use the same mode of project execution as the recently launched Kochi Metro. Opex or Resco model wherein Chennai Metro will not have to make any upfront investment. CleanMax Solar shall make the entire capital investment to set up the power systems. CleanMax and Chennai Metro would enter a long-term power purchase agreement.
After recovering the capital investment after few years, revenue from the sale of electricity to Chennai Metro will also be profit for CleanMax Solar. Chennai Metro, too, expects to save around Rs 1.5 crore (over $230,000) every year, and Rs 37.5 crore ($5.8 million) over a 25-year period.
All power systems are expected to be commissioned in 12 months while the two parties are expected to sign the power purchase agreement within few weeks.
A number of cities across India are planning metro systems and are likely to set up rooftop solar power systems. Some, like the Delhi Metro, may even enter PPAs with large-scale solar power projects to reduce energy costs and keep a check on cost to the commuters. Using renewable energy sources make perfect economic sense for public transportation projects as the energy costs are very low making them attractive to commuters.
