Bhubaneswar, Oct. 9: Streets in the state capital will enjoy sunshine at night.

Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) will bite the renewable energy bullet to empower two city streets with solar lights on a pilot basis.

Under the solar city project, the BMC, along with the Odisha Renewable Energy Development Agency, will introduce solar lights from OUAT Square to Delta Square and AG Square to Acharya Vihar Square.

The Union ministry of new and renewable energy had proposed 60 cities, including Bhubaneswar, for the project that is aimed at 10 per cent reduction in the use of conventional energy sources.

The Odisha Renewable Energy Development Agency (Oreda), the nodal authority of the project in the state, has been entrusted with the job of preparing a detailed project report.

'We are preparing the detailed project report and will also chalk out a plan to install solar streetlights on major road stretches so that we are able to reduce electricity consumption,' said chief executive of Oreda Anirudha Rout.

The corporation will pay 70 per cent of funds needed for the solar street-lighting project, while the ministry of new and renewable energy will provide the rest.

A BMC official said that if the pilot project became successful, it would be a huge relief for the corporation, as the civic body pays Rs 50 lakh every month towards electricity bill for streetlights.

'If we are able to generate 1MW of solar energy, the energy consumption by streetlights can be reduced by 15 to 20 per cent,' said a senior official of BMC.

He also said around 1,000 square feet of land was needed for the solar panels to generate 1 MW electricity, which can power streetlights across a stretch of nearly 25 kilometre.

The corporation has nearly 25,000 streetlight points in the BMC area. It has been trying to adopt various technologies to reduce electricity consumption from streetlights.

In the past, the civic body had introduced light emitting diode at some major thoroughfares of the city to reduce electricity consumption.

In August last year, the corporation had signed a memorandum of understanding with the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives to prepare a master plan for a solar city project. International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives is an international association of local governments and national and regional local government organisations that have made a commitment to sustainable development.

Sources in Oreda said five pilots would be implemented in the city and 46MW of power generated through renewable sources would be added to electricity generation for the city.

However, urban experts feel that the corporation should ensure sustainability of such projects in the city.

'In the past, the corporation had taken similar initiatives. But they have turned unsuccessful after a few days. The authorities should also ensure that the stretch between AG Square and Acharya Vihar Square is illuminated properly as it is a busy road,' said Piyush Rout, a city-based urban practitioner.