Meghalaya To Solarise Nearly 2,000 Government Schools

To date more than 1.5 megawatt (MW) of solar capacity has been installed across nearly 700 schools, and implementation in another 1,300 schools is expected to begin shortly. The inauguration of a 50 kilowatt (kW) solar photovoltaic (PV) plant at St Marys Higher Secondary School in Shillong was cited as one of the larger single-site installations in the state. The project was implemented by the Meghalaya New and Renewable Energy Development Agency.

The new plant has been integrated with net metering infrastructure so that surplus generation during weekends holidays and vacation periods can be supplied back to the grid. The state government estimated that the school could save approximately 6,000 units of electricity every month, which was presented as translating into savings of nearly Rs 40,000 per month and close to Rs 0.5 mn annually. Officials also said local communities may benefit from redistributed clean energy.

State figures cited the renewable energy potential at around 14.6 gigawatt (GW), with hydropower providing a significant share and solar increasingly positioned as a key element of the clean energy strategy. The government is reported to be preparing a state-level technology and innovation competition for students innovators and young entrepreneurs to develop practical solutions for energy waste management water supply and healthcare. The programme is expected to include financial and implementation support for selected ideas.