CEL is a Government of India enterprise under the Department of Scientific & Industrial Research (ministry of science & technology) to work on solar technology. According to CEL officials, the solar plant has a capacity to produce nearly 300 solar panels of 300 watts each in a single day.

Union minister of environment, forest and climate change Dr Harsh Vardhan on Wednesday dedicated to the nation a 1-megawatt (MW) solar power plant at Central Electronics Limited in Ghaziabad. He also inaugurated a solar rickshaw and laid the foundation stone of a solar technology park.

CEL is a Government of India enterprise under the Department of Scientific & Industrial Research (ministry of science & technology) to work on solar technology. According to CEL officials, the solar plant has a capacity to produce nearly 300 solar panels of 300 watts each in a single day. 

They said that the CEL premises is powered by solar power generated in the plant and soon, they will be able to supply the surplus electricity to the grid too.

"It is PM Modi's endeavour to take the country ahead in the field of clean energy. He has stressed on achieving production of nearly 175 giga watts of power from such sources by 2022. The 1 MW plant is a step in this direction. With such technologies, we are taking the country into an era of clean energy," the minister said.

"The solar power movement is gaining momentum. The scientists with the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research have already developed a solar tree that can produce 5 kilowatts. A new concept of solar ATMs is also being developed and is in an advanced stage. This will be installed in villages where the power supply is low," he said.

The solar rickshaw, according to CEL officials, contains a solar panel which is activated when operated by a puller. It has a manual pedalling option and can seat three passengers, officials said.

"The vehicle has a lifespan of three to four years and it costs around Rs65,000. The cost will be reduced with further technological advancements. With a solar panel fitted on top, the batteries installed in the vehicle are continuously recharged. It also has comfortable seats, an efficient braking system and is fitted with lights. The solar panel charges batteries while the vehicle is on the move," an official said.

The minister also tried his hands on the new solar rickshaw and drove it for around 100 metres, to the function venue inside CEL. "The solar rickshaws can be of immense help to the poor people by helping them increase their earnings and reducing the physical effort," the minister said.

CEL is also developing a solar technology park which is expected to be completed in nine months. Officials said that it will showcase all the developed and under-development technologies in the field of solar energy. The park will be dedicated to training. Young engineers and students can also walk in to get information about the latest technologies, officials said.

"As pioneers in solar technology, we are upgrading our systems and are constantly improving. Last year, we recorded a turnover of Rs292 crore and also achieved a net profit of Rs23 crore," said Dr Nalin Shinghal, chairman & managing director, CEL.

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