Central Universities Making Push Towards Green Campus

New Delhi: Central universities in India are contributing with significant renewable energy projects on their campuses, as India pushes for a slew of green initiatives in order to meet its nationally set commitments to the Paris Agreement.

While Tezpur University and Pondicherry University have used solar energy to reduce energy costs, BHU has installed a water management and supply system on its water-scarce south campus. Universities have prioritised the use of renewable energy and environmentally friendly solutions in buildings and classrooms as part of their efforts to create a sustainable campus.

Tezpur University saved Rs 1.53 crore by making 11 of its buildings and student residences that are energy-neutral which now have no electricity use. Academic buildings in the departments of chemical science, energy, and environmental sciences are likewise energy efficient. The plant's monthly average power output is close to 90,000kWh.

Pondicherry University saved Rs 1 crore on its annual energy expenditure by putting solar panels on 15 campus buildings.“Electrical energy is one of the basic requirements for the campus and it costs around Rs 75 lakh per month. This has to be managed for sustainability as the demand for electrical energy is ever increasing. The project has resulted in the conservation of one-third of the energy cost using world-class electrical infrastructure with the least power disruption and less maintenance cost. Above all, every year, the university will cut down carbon emissions to the extent of 2,900 tonnes on this green campus,” said P Murugavel, in charge of the project at Pondicherry University.

Meanwhile, BHU is the first and only university in the country to make its 2,700-acre campus self-reliant on water. The south campus of BHU created its own water management and supply system.

It comprises nine check dams, two runoff water collection ponds, and three rainwater storage wells on campus. Each of the check dams can contain up to two lakh litres of water. It also built rainwater harvesting facilities to satisfy agriculture and cattle's water demands.

Besides serving as an effective energy model, the plants are also utilised to learn students about renewable energy and its implementation on campus.

“Not just as a part of the sustainable campus initiative, it is also a site for learning for my students. M.Tech students who specialise in the solar energy area are encouraged to visit the plant and understand its functioning. Students have also helped in the installation project. Learning, in theory, is okay but when you go on rooftops in summer and understand the module, your understanding will be different. Students will gain a skill. Now we are working on the performance analysis of the solar panels,” Mahapatra, teacher, Department of Energy, Tezpur University explained.

This significant movement toward achieving environmental goals is also reflected at the policy level. The NAAC has added environmental sustainability as a criterion for assessing educational institutions. The AICTE has established the 'Clean and Smart Campus' award. These incentives persuade institutions to create room for renewable energy infrastructure and phase out traditional ways.

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