Amritsar’s Solar City Project Commences with 74 Govt Buildings Equipped with Solar Panels in Phase-I

Amritsar, the cultural city of Punjab, is set to become a “Solar City” as announced by the state government in the launch of the Punjab State Energy Action Plan. The plan aims to promote energy efficiency in various sectors, including buildings, industries, municipalities, agriculture, and transportation. It will provide support to Punjab State Departments and agencies in adopting sustainable and long-term renewable energy solutions.

As part of the Solar City program in Amritsar, the Phase-I project has commenced, targeting solar panel installations on 190 government buildings identified through drone mapping. This initiative is expected to generate approximately 2.33 MW of solar electricity, with 74 buildings being solarized in the initial phase. The development of Amritsar as a Solar City aligns with Punjab’s goal of achieving Net Zero in sectors such as agriculture, power, renewable energy, municipalities, transport, buildings, and industries.

To facilitate the implementation of the Energy Action Plan, the Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA) has signed a memorandum of understanding with GIZ’s Indo-German Energy Program. This collaboration, funded by the German Government, will provide technical assistance through experienced consultants and representatives from various departments and organizations.

The Additional Chief Secretary of Renewable Energy, Punjab, stressed the importance of expediting the Action Plan’s implementation and conducting quarterly progress reviews. All departments were encouraged to equip their office buildings with solar panels to decarbonize the power sector, leading to a significant reduction in power consumption charges by 25% to 30%.