2 days Ago By Yagnesh Bharat Mehta
Surat: After acquiring electric buses, the city is testing a Green Mobility project . The electric buses will now run on solar energy with a 100KW plant to be developed at a bus port. Based on the results of this trial, Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) will expand the project.
This will be the first time solar energy will be used to power public transport. The project is being developed by an organization working in the area of sustainable development. "The organization is funding almost the entire cost and the city is set to get multiple benefits, from clean energy to pollution-free transport .
This is an important project and will be expanded if SMC gets the desired results," said an SMC officer. Initially, the newly developed Althan bus port has been identified for the solar power plant. The solar power plant will have battery backup.
Currently, the city has some 400 electric buses, and their number is set to grow to 1,000 in a couple of years. Conventional fuel buses will be replaced gradually. "This will be the first such project of the SMC.
Work began four months ago, and the project is at the final stage now," said an official. SMC recently dropped a project to develop a solar power plant that could run the entire Katargam zone office. The project was dropped after considering the cost involved and how long it would take to recover it.
"The solar power plant for the office involved a massive cost, but the green mobility project is sponsored by a third party. This will strengthen our infrastructure and provide pollution-free public transport," said an officer. SMC is also working on developing a network of charging points for electric buses across the city.
Intermediate charging points are being developed along bus routes. Currently, buses from multiple routes have to come to a specific location to be charged. Intermediate charging points will save time and energy.
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