A large number of houses in Salt Lake are all set to use solar energy as an alternative to electricity to get their supplies of hot water this winter.

“We are launching the solar water heater project in a big way in Salt Lake. There has been a huge response from the residents,” said S.P. Gan Chowdhury, director of the West Bengal Renewable Energy Development Agency (WBREDA). Over 400 houses in Salt Lake have applied for installation of the solar water heater, he said. Taking the lead will be Bidhannagar Municipality, which will install the equipment on the roof of Poura Bhavan, office of the civic body, and administrative buildings.

Use of solar energy will considerably bring down power consumption, which in turn will save coal, Gan Chowdhury said. “To encourage people to use the solar water heater, we will give an incentive of 40 paise per unit up to 200 units on the power supplied by the West Bengal State Electricity Board in Salt Lake,” the WBREDA director added.

Although many inquiries were being received from other parts of the city as well, WBREDA’s preference is Salt Lake. “In Calcutta, getting uninterrupted sunlight is a problem in many houses owing to obstruction by tall buildings. But Salt Lake is a planned city with rooftops of all the houses getting plenty of sunlight,” an official said. “The equipment is ideal for the township,” he explained.

The equipment contains a black plate, the collector, which is insulated from three sides. A sheet of glass is placed in front of it. Sun rays filter through it. As water passes through several pipes it gets warm after coming in contact with the plate. Hot water is then collected in an insulated tank from where it is supplied to the kitchen and bathroom.

“The project is excellent and will help bring down electricity bills to a great extent,” said Dilip Gupta, chairman of Bidhannagar Municipality. Salt Lake residents have already made a beeline for the solar water heater. “We have applied to WBREDA to instal the equipment,” said H. Roy, a resident of Salt Lake. “It will be very convenient,” he added.

Those who have installed the water heater said they were extremely happy with it. “It is very convenient. We have water heater connections in the kitchen and the bathroom,” said Hiranmoy Biswas of BL block.

The temperature of water remains above 75 degree Celsius round the clock, particularly in the gruelling summer heat. Biswas said the equipment reduces gas consumption and saves time.

This apart, WBREDA’s battery driven cars will roll out in Salt Lake next month. Initially, three battery-driven cars will be introduced. “The municipality will use the vehicles for school children, hospitals and office use,” a WBREDA official said.