Power-packed punch
MCGM departments install solar panels, water heaters and energy efficient lighting in an all-out effort to save power…..Gem Paul
MCGM departments install solar panels, water heaters and energy efficient lighting in an all-out effort to save power…..Gem Paul
As power costs continue to soar across the city, a few Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) departments have initiated independent energy audits to cut down on the wastage of power and increase the efficiency of their operations. The audit reports also gave an insight into the staggering amounts of money that could be saved by the implementation of the report.
Broadly classified under asset management and operational improvement, the audit reports have been prepared by private consultants who have thoroughly studied the workings of these departments. “The auditors have worked out the efficiency of each and every pumping unit. Under their recommendations, we have designated the most efficient pumps to run during peak hours and the others, during non-peak hours. This will help cut down our power costs significantly,” says D S Bhujbal, chief engineer, sewerage operations.
The Sewerage Department has also envisaged the replacement of less efficient pumps in the coming months. Installing power efficient bulbs and lanps within the premises of its stations is also slated to save a lot of power. A whopping 10-15 per cent of total power costs amounting to Rs 25 crore per annum will be saved by this effort. An additional Rs 2.5 crore per annum will also be saved, thanks to the speedy installation of solar panels. One of the suburban pumping stations located at Versova has already installed these panels within its premises.
In most electrical circuits, a certain percentage of power is invariably lost during transmission. The integration of special capacitors within these circuits will save a further six to seven per cent of power costs. “We have installed auto power factor panels to save this lost current. Our power factor, which is the measure of the efficiency of the circuit, is already 96 per cent and will achieve a 100 per cent soon,” adds Bhujbal.
The Hydraulic Department, whose installations run round the clock to provide water to large swathes of the city, has also hotfooted several suggestions of the report. Here electric geysers account for a large amount of the power costs. Replacement and maintenance of old geysers is estimated to save around Rs 6-9 lakh per annum.
“We intend to save 8-10 per cent of our overall power consumption by replacing old lights with energy efficient lighting. Specialised coating of various electrical instruments will further save a lot of power,” says Sharad S Dalvi, deputy chief engineer (maintenance) of the Hydraulic Department.
Another department in the process of implementing the audit report is the Mechanical and Engineering Department (M&E) that is responsible for the supply and installation of electrical equipments inside municipal buildings, hospitals and crematoriums. Profiting from a cumulative saving of Rs 55 crore in the past two years, after implementing the reports of similar energy audits, the M&E Department has now taken to increasing the efficiency of its various installations at a war footing.
The geysers used for sterilisation purposes at KEM, Sion and Nair hospitals consume an exceptional amount of electricity. The M&E Department intends to use solar panels to handle a substantial part of these heating needs. “With the installation of solar panels we will be saving Rs 18 crore a year in power costs and an additional Rs 10 crore from solar powered street lighting within our office premises,” informs ND Mankar, chief engineer of the M &E Department.
Overhauling and replacing of huge air conditioning systems is also top priority of the department, saving an estimated 50-60 lakh per annum.The success of the MCGM in saving power is hoped to inspire other government agencies and private bodies to use energy responsibly.