Solarsis turns IIT Madras rooftop solar and cool

HYDERABAD, INDIA: In one of its kind research and utility initiative by Hyderabad based Solarsis has installed a unique rooftop Solar PV System on the rooftop of the IIT Madras.

The solar PV system is a smartly designed project with various technologies in modules and inverters. The solar plant is installed on top of the 50 years old Electrical Sciences Block at IIT-Madras which aims to build 1MW solar on top their existing buildings.

Venkat Rajaraman, CEO, Solarsis said the structures is unique as they are non-penetrating type, elevated with a minimum clearance of 8 feet above the roof, designed to withstand high wind zone of the Chennai coastal region.

The plant also brings high degree of reliability and protection to enable to smooth interaction with the grid.

"IIT always being an early advocate of promising technologies like solar and we are doing our best to contribute to some key challenges in solar adaptability through a smart grid controller," says Dr. Ashok Jhunjhunwala, professor in the Electrical Engineering Department. "We plan to test Smart Controller for solar, which is currently being designed by IITM, with the rooftop solar plant. The elevated structures ensure that we continue to use the roof as before for our regular use."

The IIT Madras Solarsis rooftop solar plant is a mix of Mono-crystalline, Poly-crystalline, High efficiency Poly-crystalline (with >19 percent module efficiency) and CIGS thin-film modules in which both string and central inverters of various capacities are used. The 90KW solar plant will generate 1.5 lakh units per annum and helps offset 90 tons of carbon dioxide.