The solar tree has been designed in a manner to ensure maximum exposure of each solar photovoltaic (PV) panel to sunlight and also creation of the least amount of shadow area beneath. According to Dr Harish Hirani, Director, CSIR-CMERI, the installed capacity of the Solar Tree is above 11.5 kWp (kilowatts peak). It has the annual capacity to generate 12,000-14,000 units of Clean and Green Power. There are a total of 35 Solar PV Panels in each tree with a capacity of 330 wp (watts peak) each.
Each Solar Tree has the potential to save 10-12 tons of CO2 emissions being released into the atmosphere as Greenhouse Gases when compared with fossil fuel fired energy generation. Besides, the surplus generated power can be fed into an Energy Grid. Each Solar Tree can cost Rs 7.5 lakhs and can be a boon for rural economy as it can be aligned with the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evem Utthan Mahabhiyan (PM KUSUM) Scheme for farmers, for developing a Renewable Energy based Energy Grid.
Each solar trees can be customized for widespread usage in agricultural activities. The solar tree has the capability to incorporate IOT based features, i.e. round-the-clock CCTV surveillance in agricultural fields, real-time humidity, wind speed, rainfall prediction and soil analytics sensors. The institute has also developed solar powered e-Suvidha Kiosks may also be connected to the Solar Trees for real-time access to the vast majority of agricultural database as well as to the eNAM i.e. National Agricultural Market Place for instant and real-time access to an unified online market. Solar Tree is a Quantum leap towards making an energy reliant and carbon negative India.
– Tapas Bhattacharya
