Nashik, The Next Solar City
With Nashik Making it to The Top 60 Cities to be transformed to Solar Cities, State Government planning to make mandatory installation of solar panels in buildings with over 10 flats.
What is a Solar City?
The Solar City aims at minimum 10% reduction in projected demand of conventional energy at the end of five years, through a combination of enhancing supply from renewable energy sources in the city and energy efficiency measures. The basic aim is to motivate the local Governments for adopting renewable energy technologies and energy efficiency measures. A total of 60 cities/towns are proposed to be supported for development as Solar Cities during the 11th Plan period. At least one city in each State to a maximum of five cities in a State may be supported by the Ministry. 300 million Indian Rupees (INR) (€6million) are expected to be spent during the 11th Plan period, under this program of “Development of Solar Cities”. The amount will be taken from the allocated budget for solar thermal energy programs under the MNRE’s demands for grants.
Nashik, The Next Solar City !!
The Government is contemplating bringing about amendments rules of the city’s draft Development Plan (DP) by providing incentives such as additional Floor Space Index (FSI) to make good the additional cost involved in installation of solar panels. The proposal aims to promote use of solar energy rather than conventional forms of energy
An official in the town planning department of the state government. “We are planning to introduce some incentives to promote use of solar panels in the city. Our objective is to make Nashik the first solar city in the state. We are making installation of solar panels mandatory for buildings with over 10 flats.However just making installation mandatory would not serve the purpose until sufficient incentive are given to builders so that additional cost of solar panels doesn’t become a deterrent.The additional FSI to builders would be a good incentive in this case! The Officials are yet analyzing what additional incentives can be offered and are also talking to solar panel manufactures to know the cost factor
Previously to cut power bills the NMC had put up four solar streetlights on the premises of the civic headquarters at the Rajiv Gandhi Bhavan.Under the scheme introduced in April 2006 to increase use of non-conventional energy resources, the Nashik Municipal Corporation offers 5% rebate in property tax to property holders who are availing of solar water heaters. Out of 3.67 lakh properties across six divisions of the municipal corporation only a meager 3,853 property holders have taken advantage of the scheme .Clearly the capacity remain underutilized .The Other Cities in Maharashtra Set to become Solar Cities are Dombivali, Thane & Nagpur .
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