In our efforts to keep our readers updated on the rapidly increasing usage of renewable energy in today’s infrastructure projects, we at LED World, came in contact with Harjeet Singh Sahni, CMD of SSG Infratech Pvt. Ltd. Sahni is currently the Chairman of Builders Association of India, Gautam Budh Nagar, which was formed in 1941 having its registered office in Tardeo Road, Mumbai with 130 centres across the country.
SSG Infratech, an ISO 9001:2000 company, specialises in environmental engineering and boasts many remarkable infrastructural projects such as Greater Noida Expressway for its lighting & fencing, developing Sectors in Noida, etc. under its banner. One such project is the India’s largest sewage treatment plant that SSG has built for UP government in Greater Noida. The high point of this plant is that it doesn’t take energy from the grid but solar power. We tried exploring various issues as well as challenges associated therewith specifically on the use of renewable energy. The excerpts are here to follow:
How can solar energy be gainfully applied in environmental engineering?Since solar energy is sustainable and renewable, it successfully minimises the undesirable impact of the other forms of energy on the environment. Moreover, solar energy can be gainfully applied in environmental engineering by focusing on theoretical and experimental sample-based studies on its usages in areas of atmospheric pollution, waste disposal, management and its treatment. I’m sure, in all these areas, use of Solar Energy will be proven to be a game changer in the near future.
Is SSG Infratech currently associated with any environmental engineering project involving solar energy?
We do have a couple of projects in the pipeline, which are currently in the early stages of their planning. For us, therefore, it will be too early to comment on this. Overall, we deal in various environmental engineering and infrastructure development projects which include Sewage Treatment Plants and Water Treatment Plants operated through solar energy, besides development of rainy wells, underground reservoir (UGR), etc.
What is the size & capacity of the plant? Where does it get its energy requirement fulfilled from?
Completed and commissioned by SSG Infratech Pvt. Ltd., this Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) has 137 mld capacity and it has earned the distinction of being largest STP in India on Sequential Batch Reactor (SBR) Technology. Under successful O&M after commissioning, this STP provides highest treatment efficiency possible. Running through SBR process, it is operated in a batch reactor mode which eliminates all the inefficiencies of the continuous process.
The highlight of this project is that it is environment-friendly as the one-of-its-kind STP plant is being designed and developed in such a way that it operates fully on energy. To fuel this STP, we have incorporated a solar power system with 1.25 megawatts capacity.
What prompted you to opt for solar power as the energy source for the STP?
To power this STP with solar electricity is just an extension of our continued efforts wherein we aim to utilise clean and non-polluting energy. We also understand that solar energy is one of the most widely available renewable sources of energy. This STP is the testimonial that we have taken a giant leap forward in envisioning and undertaking such environment-friendly projects. Our focus would remain intact on the maximum use of solar energy in all of our future projects.
What made you choose solar over grid electricity?
The STP can also be operated on grid electricity. But we do not have a very good experience with grid power. The inconsistency in the electricity supply from the grid electricity badly affects STP’s service reliability, which sometimes leads to electrical component failure. All this can be easily avoided with solar power as solar panels ensure seamless electricity supply, and the electricity generated through this system on an average reduces 70% grid electricity consumption.
What major challenges did you come across?
The first and foremost challenge that we encountered was the requirement of quite a large land space for the installation of solar power plant, which we managed through procuring additional land adjacent to the STP. Among the other challenges were obtaining different high-costing equipment required for ensuring the supply of the generated energy to the cells. Installing solar panels were quite economical and so we managed it conveniently. The overall design, engineering and construction of the solar power plant did not pose any issue to us, as all of these were executed under the expert guidance.
