The Mesco Education Society’s Crescent English High School and Junior College has become the first school in Mumbra to adopt green energy to power its electricity requirements.

This is the second educational institute in the area to adopt green energy after AE Kalsekar Degree College decided to switch to solar power.

Seventy percent of the school’s entire electricity requirements, like lighting up common areas, class room as well as staff offices, are being met through the rooftop solar project. The institute is likely to save ₹5.5 lakh per annum in expenses and 46,200 units of electricity annually, through the solar project. The installed plant has a daily capacity of 33 kilowatt power (kWp) and the school’s daily consumption is 39 kWp.

The installation will help reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) consumption by 23.1 tonnes every year, said members of the school’s trust. “Our aim was to educate students about the impact such a project can have on the environment. Every student has been made to understand the benefit of renewable energy and reduction in dependency on fossil fuels,” said Dr Mohammed Abbas Khatkhatay, general secretary, Mesco Education Trust. “Apart from reducing our carbon footprint, the project is cost-effective and will reduce our monthly and annual electricity expenses,” he said.

The plant, installed in April, has 95 panels and was set up at a cost of ₹18.15 lakh, which is likely to be recovered within the next four years. “As of now, there is a 45% drop in monthly electricity bills. It is likely to increase to 75% after the installation of the net meter project, through which excess units generated through solar can be sent back to the grid,” said Sohail Shaikh, chief operating officer, MSS Renewtech LLP, the company which set up the solar plant.

In March, the school’s electricity bill was ₹55,000; it fell to ₹28,000 for May, after the solar project was installed. “The school consumes 4,500 units per month and the solar installation helped provide 2,200 units monthly,” said Shaikh.