Cricket stadium goes green with rooftop solar power plant

A 400kW rooftop solar power plant at Chinnaswamy cricket stadium in Bengaluru, pegged to be world's first, is all set for its inauguration. The power plant is expected to provide for 40 percent of the stadium's energy requirement. It will not only save energy and reduce carbon dioxide at the stadium, but will also ensure a bright pitch to the cricketing nucleus of the state. The installation work of the solar power plant was successfully completed last week and the inauguration will take place tomorrow. Spokesperson of Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), Vinay, said the plant is designed to generate 6,00,000 units a year, which is enough to power 200 AEH (all electric homes) using 3 kW power annually, and also cutting down about 600 tonnes of carbon dioxide emission annually. The rapidly falling cost of solar power has ignited interest in its potential in the country, which relies on coal for three-fifths of its energy needs while solar supplies less than 1 percent.