Cbandigarb as model Solar City

Under the Solar City Program of Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, TERI prepared
master plan to make Chandigarh a Solar City with support from Chandigarh Renewable
Energy Science and Technology Promotion Society (CREST). This master plan
integrated demand side management with renewables based supply options. Thus, while
energy conservation opportunities were examined in the residential and commercial
sectors; municipal services e.g. water pumping and street lighting were also analyzed
thoroughly. On the renewable energy side feasibility study of options such as solar water
heating systems, roof top solar as well as large scale grid connected solar energy based
electricity generation was carried out.

Considering that solar energy is locally available in Chandigarh, following solar energy
applications were proposed:
Setting up of 10 MW solar PV roof top power plant
25 MW solar PV power plant in Patiyala ki Rao area of Chandigarh.
Solar PV plants in municipal landfill site, gardens, lake areas, car parking sheds
etc.
Installation of solar PV based LED street lights
To reduce 20% of energy needed for water heating in residential and commercial
buildings through use of solar water heater.

To showcase advantage of rooftop solar PV system it was recommended to first
implement the demonstration projects in government offices and institutions buildings
like model central jail, town hall, General Hospital, and UT municipal corporation
building etc.

The master plan also recommended a major emphasis on awareness creation about the
benefits of energy conservation and renewable energy among the school children and the
general public. Towards this, it was suggested that an energy-cum-science park is
established in a central location in Chandigarh as an inviting place for social gatherings to
provide education about issues of sustainable energy in a friendly, non-technical
atmosphere.

Acknowledging the importance of this endeavor, Ministry of New and Renewable
Energy, Government of India decided to develop Chandigarh as a `model Solar City and
for that a budget of Rs.16.25 crore has been allocated to Chandigarh administration for
the financial year 2013-14.