Jamia Millia Islamia will be only using solar energy on its campus from June-end. The university, on Tuesday, signed an MoU with the Solar Enegy Corporation of India (SECI) approved company, Sunsource Energy, that would execute the project on a turnkey-basis and maintain the plant for the next 25 years under Renewable Energy Service Company (RESCO) model. Jamia would be supplied electricity at Rs 3.39 per unit for 25 years. The MoU is in line with the central government’s target of installation of 40 GWp grid connected solar
rooftops by 2022.

After an agreement with SECI, the university would be placing a 2.50 MWp solar photo voltaic system on several buildings. This, the university said, is an attempt to run the university completely on renewable energy. Vice-chancellor Talat Ahmed said the university had been working on the plan for the past two years and has been in touch with SECI. “With the installations in place by June-end, we will be a leader among central universities when it comes to the use of renewable energy,” he said, adding that the university is looking at a possible future where it would rely on solar energy and have minimum carbon footprint.

“The university will incur zero cost on the set-up and maintenance of the plant as it will be taken care by the SECI,” Ahmed added. The solar panels would be installed in the next few days on hostels, central library, Jamia school, engineering faculty, amonf others, Ahmad said. He said the solar plant would be beneficial for students studying BTech and BVoc. “This will help them get practical training and even jobs in the future.” Ahmad added.