Units that are capable of producing electricity above 1 MW through rooftop solar panels operating through photovoltaic cells were subjected to inspection
According to the notice issued by the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM), an electricity inspector carried out an overall inspection of all generation units on rooftops that produce solar energy in Bangalore. The results of the inspection have not yet been released by BESCOM.
So far, solar energy applications have been utilized in Bangalore dominantly in the fields of generating electricity, traffic monitoring, and water heaters. There are various traffic signals in Bangalore that operate through solar panels instead of electricity.
One of the solar energy products suppliers in Malleshwaram named Renewable Energy Applications and Products also sells portable device chargers and camping tents that are entirely solar powered.
According to the Economic Survey of Karnataka for 2017-18, conducted by the Government of Karnataka, other aspects where energy obtained through sunlight is used are lighting for streets and water pumps.
As per the details mentioned in the survey, at the Gram Panchayat, 6258 GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) enabled solar-powered Telemetric Rain Gauges have been installed so far in Pattana Panchayaths, Hobli headquarters and Gram Panchayath in Karnataka. Unfortunately, these methods have not yet been introduced in Bangalore and its rural areas.
Meena Parthiban, an environmental science enthusiast said, “Solar energy has so much potential and is very eco friendly. In spite of this, one of the main reasons for solar energy not being widely used is the cost of establishment of a solar energy output.”
Various measures have been implemented in different places to increase usage of solar power. Meena said that a self-help group, part of the Women Empowerment Program in Tamil Nadu came up with the idea of preservation of perishable goods through solar powered dryers. For instance, bananas can easily perish. To avoid this, they are dipped in honey and let to dry in solar dryers and sold. The bananas won’t decay for up to a month, even without being refrigerated, and their nutritional value is retained.
A BESCOM official claimed that another measure implemented to increase usage solar power was that, guidelines for solar off-grid pump programs were taught to all sub-division officers in the Bangalore division through a workshop conducted on September 4.
