Greater Noida mega trade fair can now run on solar power

This plant, over its lifetime, will help save 69,000 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide, which is equivalent to planting 86,000 trees.

In a first of its kind initiative, the India International Mega Trade Fair at Expo centre in Greater Noida can now run on solar power as and when required after a solar rooftop plant was inaugurated on Friday.

Two mega watts grid solar rooftop panel was inaugurated today at India Expo centre in Greater Noida. (HT Photo)

This plant, over its lifetime, will help save 69,000 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide, which is equivalent to planting 86,000 trees.

The two megawatt solar rooftop plant was inaugurated on the eight day of the IIMT Fair by Brijesh Pathak, state cabinet minister for additional energy sources and Anand Kumar, secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.

“This initiative is dedicated to the nation. Every house in Noida and Ghaziabad should have rooftops with solar panels in order to save energy and promote renewable energy sources. This initiative at the trade fair will stand out as an effective way to save nature,” Pathak said.

“I would like to urge channel partners of the fair to set up roof top solar panels under Surya Mitra scheme and also spread awareness among common people about it,” Kumar said.

“The project was completed in around 8 months and was cleared for commercial use on May 31, 2017. India Expo Centre & Mart is slated to use the generated solar energy to meet up to 50% of its varying energy needs. Gurgaon-based Amplus will own, operate and maintain the project for a period of 25 years. This plant not only serves as a testimony of India Expo Centre & Mart’s commitment towards ‘going green and reducing carbon footprint’, but will also bring total savings of INR 380 million over the project’s lifetime of 25 years,” Rakesh Kumar, chairman, India Expo Centre and Mart, said.