The Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) is taking up several solar energy projects to generate 10 MW as a part of the smart city endeavour, according to Municipal Commissioner Harinarayanan.

He was speaking at a one-day workshop - Solar Roofs India 2017 - organised here on Wednesday by Solar Quarter, a magazine, in association with the AP Chambers of Commerce and Industries Federation and several companies in the solar field.

He said a floating solar power project would be taken up on Mudasarlova reservoir to generate 2 MW and further another solar project on Raiwada water supply canal to generate 5 MW. Solar panels would be set up on 22 GVMC structures and 144 municipal schools to generate 1.5 MW. "In all, in the first phase, we want to generate 10 MW of solar energy and we have already floated tenders for the purpose," he added.

He said the GVMC would take the help of 120 resident welfare associations to promote solar energy.

M.M Nayak, the Chairman and Managing Director of the AP Eastern Power Distribution Company Limited (APEPDCL), said the cost of solar panels had come down, but it was still too high for the low-end consumers of solar energy. Therefore, as the initial investment was high, many were not coming forward to install rooftop solar panels. "Therefore the companies have to come up with different models to cut down on costs and take solar power to the common man," he said.

Sravani Polina, the Chief Financial Officer of Vyoma Energy, said the company had taken up a 2 MW solar project at Kakinada as a part of the smart city project and it was also installing several solar agricultural pumpsets in the two Godavari districts.

G.V Sambasiva Rao, the president-elect of the AP Chambers, and representatives of several solar energy companies participated in the debate.

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