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McLeod Russel goes green, replaces Diesel with Solar unit

In possibly the first instance of a tea estate opting for solar power, Kolkata-headquartered McLeod Russel India is now looking for cleaner energy for its tea estates. The firm is already in the process of doing away with diesel generators and replacing them with solar unit (100 kw) at one of its large tea estates in Assam.

The tea-rich north-eastern state has around 800 big tea estates and nearly one lakh small tea growers producing roughly 618 million kg annually. McLeod Russel’s move may eventually open new vistas for the large number of tea estate owners to embrace renewable energy. Interestingly, Assam falls under the medium radiation zone and therefore solar units are highly workable here.
While power supplied by Assam Power Distribution Company costs INR 5.70 per unit for tea growers, the per unit cost of power generated by diesel gensets comes to INR 17. Solar, therefore, is a logical and viable option for tea growers in Assam, experts say.

McLeod Russel has assigned Vikram Solar, a company engaged in manufacturing photovoltaic (PV) solar modules to put up a 100 kw off-grid solar power plant at Attereekhat Tea Estate at Tangla in Assam. The move aims at marginalising and eventually doing away with the use of diesel generator sets at tea estates.
Tea gardens in Assam face erratic power supply from the grid. Only 60 per cent of total electricity requirement is supplied by the state-run power sector utility; the remaining 40 per cent tea estates have to rely on gensets.

Significantly, the solar system with battery back up has received 30 per cent subsidy from the union ministry of new and renewable energy (MNRE). Rajeev Takru, director, McLeod Russel India Limited, said “It is our first initiative with solar power in tea estates and if it works well, it could open an alternative source of stable power supply, which is vital to the industry.” The success of this maiden initiative will remove the myth that north-east India is not suitable for solar power plants, said Gyanesh Chaudhary, MD & CEO, Vikram Solar.

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