The world’s largest solar tree at the CSIR-CMERI Residential Colony in Durgapur. Source: CSIR-CMERI
The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) – Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute (CMERI) has developed the world’s largest solar tree, which has been installed at the CSIR-CMERI Residential Colony, Durgapur.
The tree has been designed to ensure each solar panel’s maximum exposure to sunlight and also create the least shadow area beneath. There are a total of 35 solar PV panels in each tree with a capacity of 330 wp each. The inclination of the arms holding the panels can be adjusted, a feature that is not available in roof-mounted solar facilities. The energy generation data can be monitored either real-time or on a daily basis.
“The installed capacity of the solar tree is above 11.5 kWp. It can generate 12,000-14,000 units of clean and green power annually,” said Harish Hirani, director of CSIR-CMERI.
Hirani explained that the solar tree also has certain customisable features for application at diverse sites. They were designed in a manner to ensure minimum shadow area, thus potentially making them available for widespread usage in agricultural activities such as high capacity pumps, e-tractors and e-Power tillers.
The solar trees can be used to substitute price-volatile fossil fuels and even used for domestic purposes.
Each solar tree has the potential to save 10-12 tonnes of CO2 emission being released into the atmosphere as greenhouse gases when compared with fossil fuel-fired energy generation. Besides, the surplus generated power can be fed into an energy grid. “This agricultural model can provide a consistent economic return and help farmers counter the effects of the uncertain variations in agriculture-related activities, thus, making farming an economic and energy sustainable practice,” Hirani said.
Each tree will cost Rs 7.5 lakh and interested MSMEs can align their business model with the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha Utthan Mahabhiyan (PM KUSUM) Scheme for farmers, for developing a renewable energy-based energy grid.
The solar tree is capable of incorporating IOT-based features, i.e. round-the-clock CCTV surveillance in agricultural fields, real-time humidity, wind speed, rainfall prediction and soil analytics sensors.