- The move is expected to reduce Parag Shah’s electricity bills by more thanINR 3 lakh annually
- It will also give Maximum City’s environment some breathing room by slashing 22.34 tonnesof CO2 emissions annuallyWell-known real estate developer from GhatkoparMr Parag Shah is keen to lead by example, and to that end, he is doing his bit for the environment amid rapid urbanisation. Mr Shah, who owns four floors in Aaradhya Swastik in the central suburb, roped in Avishakti Rooftop Solar Pvt. Ltd.to install51 solar panels on his rooftop that will cater to all of his flats,generatingapproximately 25,000 units of electricity annually.
Speaking about the motivation behind the move, Mr Shah says, “Climate change is one of the great levelers. It doesn’t distinguish between rich and poor, and it poses a very real threat irrespective of your geographical location. It is high time every one of us stopped waiting for someone else to make the first move to combat it and started doing our own bit to take care of the environment.”
The rooftop solar PV plant is of 16.575 kW total DC capacity. Avishakti Rooftop Solar’s Founder-Director AnimeshManek says, “The initial investment for this project is approximately INR 11.8 lakh, and the breakeven period is estimated at around 3 years.”
The initial cost notwithstanding, what makes Avishakti Rooftop Solar’s projects a sound investment that will bring dividends in the long run is the net metering system that their solarplantsruns on. This system sendsany surplus power it generates back to the grid, and the same can then be used, i.e. imported from the grid, in cases of (power) deficiency. All the customer needs to pay for is the ‘net usage’.
Animeshexplains, “Because you are harnessing the sun’s energy, you will be taking less from the power grid, and the advantage will be reflected in the monthly electricity bills, which will show a significant decrease.Annual savings, thanks to this project, are estimatedat more than INR3 lakh.”
Mr Shah adds, “From the financial aspect, the initial cost sure looks like a tall ask, but you will get it all back in the form of huge savings year after year. More important than that, however, is the ecological aspect. Just knowing that you are instrumental in reducing the carbon footprint is a heartening feeling. Imagine the difference we, citizens, can make if each one of us decided to go solar, to finally give back to the environment instead of just taking from it.”
Animesh agrees and adds that the solar PV plant isn’t battery-operated, which not only makes it maintenance-free, but also increases its life span to 25 years. “Renewable sources of energy are the future, if we want to save our rapidly depleting planet. So why not make hay while the sun shines!” he smiles.
This is Avishakti Rooftop Solar’s second project in Chembur.Avishakti has completed a total of 5 rooftop solar projects in Ghatkopar-Chembur neighborhood of central Mumbai.For more information, call AnimeshManek: +91 8169822469