UGC to install solar panels in 32 public universities
Educational institutions face high electricity costs. The University Grants Commission (UGC) has launched a project to install solar panels on university campuses.
The initiative aims to establish solar power systems in 32 public universities by 2026, with installation beginning in early 2024. Plans to include colleges under the National University system are scheduled for late 2025. Under the OPEX model, colleges will not need to bear installation costs; instead, they will use electricity at affordable rates, while surplus power will be supplied to the national grid.
UGC Member Professor Dr Mohammad Tanzimuddin Khan shared the plan while presiding over a discussion held on Tuesday (2 September) at the National University campus.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
National University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr ASM Amanullah, who attended as the chief guest, said: "The National University administers around 70% of the country's higher education. Its affiliated colleges possess vast infrastructure, and the main campus alone spends a significant amount on electricity each year. Reducing this burden will benefit the university significantly."
Energy expert and Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at Daffodil International University, Professor Dr. M. Shamsul Alam, observed that selected public universities could save up to 25% of their annual electricity consumption if they joined the system.
Other senior officials from the National University and UGC also addressed the event.
The event was attended by key officials from both the UGC and the National University.
