The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) is planning to enter into an agreement with Andhra Pradesh State Energy Efficiency Development Corporation Limited (APSEEDCO), a joint venture of the power utilities in the State, for replacement of 5,000 ceiling fans in the TTD buildings with Brushless Direct Current (BLDC) fans in the first phase.
The move will save the temple trust board around 0.88 million units of electricity per annum, a monetary saving of ₹62 lakh and a payback of just two years and two months for the investments.
In a webinar, that was attended by the officials of the TTD and the Energy Department, temple trust board Executive Officer K.S. Jawahar Reddy said the initiative would encourage others to explore eco-friendly solutions.
Besides BLDC fans, the TTD is also planning to replace water pumping systems with energy efficient pump-sets, LED lighting and roof-top solar panels among other things to save energy and reduce electricity bills.
The TTD has plans to install 2.2 MW roof-top solar systems in all colleges and schools in Tirupati and TTD buildings in Tirumala with the support of the New and Renewable Energy Development Corporation of Andhra Pradesh (NREDCAP). The devasthanams authorities are also encouraging promotion of electric mobility (e-vehicles) in Tirumala and Tirupati.
Energy Secretary B. Sreedhar appreciated the TTD’s commitment towards energy efficiency and said the department would support implementation of energy projects that would contribute towards making the TTD most energy-efficient pilgrim centre in the country.
Feasibility study
NREDCAP Managing Director S. Ramana Reddy said Secretary of the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) R.K. Raju, in a communication, had informed that the TTD was selected at the national level for net zero energy feasibility study by the Union Ministry of Power, besides the Shirdi Sai temple in Maharashtra, Kochi in Kerala, the Statue of Unity in Gujarat and Ley Palace in Jammu and Kashmir. He said the BEE would conduct feasibility study in five tourist places in ‘net zero energy tourist’ locations to promote sustainable tourism in the country.
TTD Chief Engineer D. Nageswara Rao, Superintending Engineer P. Jagadishwara Reddy, Divisional Engineer Ravi Shankar Reddy and others participated in the meeting.
