E-Paper
PMPML windmills result in ₹2.64 lakh worth of power savings
The four windmills installed by the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) atop the Swargate bus depot building opposite its Swargate headquarters have generated 27868 kV power till July 2022, resulting in nearly Rs2
The four windmills installed by the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) atop the Swargate bus depot building opposite its Swargate headquarters have generated 27868 kV power till July 2022, resulting in nearly Rs2.64 lakh of savings in power bills for the public transport undertaking.
A sum of Rs1.08 crores out of former city MP Anil Shirole’s local area development scheme (2017) was earmarked for the 35 kilowatt windmills having an electricity generating capacity of 80 units per day. According to the PMPML public relations office (PRO), the windmills were built as a one-time investment using minimum space to provide a long-term solution in terms of electricity generation for the public transport utility apart from ensuring reduction in costs. While the PMPML administration had set a target of saving 30 to 40% electricity every year through these windmills, they generated 32,400 units from May 2017 to May 2018 as per PMPML records. This electricity was used for lights, fans and other requirements at the PMPML office.
The entire system of windmills is capable of generating 20 KW wind- and 15 KW solar- energy, and generated an average 80 KWh of energy daily during the trial phase which later rose to an average 110 KWh of energy daily. The summer season witnesses greater power generation as the wind speed is higher, thus bringing in more power savings for the transport undertaking. The PMPML authorities had estimated the generation of 383,250 KWh over the next 10 years amounting to Rs5,365,500. The life of the entire windmill system is approximately 25 years if maintenance is carried out from time to time, the authorities said.
