CHENNAI: The two mofussil bus terminuses coming up at Kuthambakkam and Kilambakkam will be hubs for generating solar power, which will also be used to recharge e-vehicles there. They are likely to be the first public buildings in Chennai to be near net zero, using renewable energy generated on campus.
The two bus terminuses are to be completed by the year-end. Moreover, the 12KW solar panel at the Madhavaram mofussil bus terminus that generates just 40 units, will be upgraded to 300KW to generate about 1,000 units a day.
The three bus terminuses will collectively have 10 MW of solar panels generating about 30,500 units dailys. At Kilambakkam, the 60-acre terminus for buses to the southern districts can produce 19,200 units a day. Kuthambakkam can produce nearly 10,400 units a day.
Kilambakkam and Kuthambakkam can produce 80 to 90 per cent of the electricity they need from solar energy. There are also plans to set up recharge stations for e-buses and e-cars to use the excess power they produce. If the entire renewable energy is used for charging e-vehicles, 40 buses or 800 cars can be recharged at Kilambakkam.
According to sources with CMDA, which is constructing the bus terminuses, there may be a tie-up with Tangedco to share the solar power generated. While the solar panels can effectively generate power only for four and half hours in a day, it will not be stored in batteries to avoid 20% wastage. It would be transferred to the Tangedco grid for supply in the neighbouring areas. In turn, Tangedco will provide power for 19 hours a day and during the rains, when solar power cannot be generated.
CMDA member-secretary Anshul Mishra told TOI that steps are being taken to achieve net zero in Madhavaram bus terminus too.
“The two public buildings at Kuthambakkam and Kilambakkam could be the first to approach near zero,” he said.