The Alternative Energy Sources of Velalar College of Engineering and Technology is made for proper implementation and efficient utilization of renewable energy sources in such a systematic way so as to minimize its impact on the environment. An alternative Energy source offers the opportunities for student’s community to engage in initiatives for contributing to environmental protection.
The college management has taken following measures for conserving the energy.
• Solar Energy - Solar energy is a radiant light and heat from the Sun that is harnessed using a range of technologies such as solar power to generate electricity, solar thermal energy including solar water heating, and solar desalination. It is an essential source of renewable energy, and its technologies are broadly characterized as either passive solar or active solar depending on how they capture and distribute solar energy or convert it into solar power. The large magnitude of solar energy available makes it a highly appealing source of electricity. The potential solar energy that could be used by humans differs from the amount of solar energy present near the surface of the planet because factors such as geography, time variation, cloud cover, and the land available to humans limit the amount of solar energy that we can acquire. A rooftop solar power system, or rooftop PV system, is a photovoltaic (PV) system that has its electricity-generating solar panels mounted on the rooftop of a residential or commercial building or structure.
•In the past few decades, solar energy has been identified as one of the most effective of all the inexhaustible and renewable energy sources. The energy collected by solar panels can be used for various purposes and some of them are to produce hot water and battery storage solar lighting system. Solar Water Heating (SWH) system is used to generate hot water by sunlight, using a solar thermal collector. The principle involved in solar lighting system is simplest. By the photovoltaic effect, the solar energy is collected during day hours and transforms it into electrical energy and stored in the battery for lighting system during night hours.
•Various efforts have been taken by the college to utilize the solar energy in an effective way based on its unique infrastructure. It mainly includes the provision of On-grid solar roof top panels. They can produce an average solar energy of 10 kW. Solar Water Heating system has been installed at the top floor of the Girls Hostel, and the generated hot water is supplied for the utilization in hostel. Solar street lighting system has been installed at the main block garden, in front of L-block and in front of student vehicle shed. After being collected, the energy is stored in the rechargeable batteries and used during evening hours when there is no sunlight. The above three solar energy technologies are used in the institution, and for promoting the renewable energy usage the various awareness programme are organized among faculty and student community.
• Biogas Plant - Biogas is a mixture of gases, primarily consisting of methane and carbon dioxide, produced from raw materials such as agricultural waste, manure, municipal waste, plant material, sewage, green waste and food waste. It is a renewable energy source. Biogas is produced by anaerobic digestion with anaerobic organisms or methanogen inside an anaerobic digester, bio-digester or a bioreactor. Biogas is primarily methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) and may have small amounts of hydrogen sulfide (H2S), moisture and siloxanes. The gases methane, hydrogen, and carbon monoxide (CO) can be combusted or oxidized with oxygen. This energy release allows biogas to be used as a fuel; it can be used in fuel cells and for any heating purpose, such as cooking.
•Biogas plant is constructed to reduce the use of cylinder consumption. The feed to the plant are the contents of the organic waste from the leftover and expired food from hostels. Biogas plant has been installed backside of the Hostel Mess for waste management with the capacity of 35 cubic meter and also to produce the gas which is used as cooking fuel.
• Sensor Based Energy Conservation - Automatic Water level control sensor is used in overhead water tanks. In the campus, ground water is pumped up to overhead tanks using water pumps which are controlled by electric motors. Automatic water level controller for overhead tanks that switches on/off the pump motor when water in the tank goes below/above the minimum/maximum level. A room equipped with sensors for energy conservation is installed. During its function, when a person enters the room, automatically lights and fans in the room gets switched ON and when a person leaves the room, it gets switched OFF automatically.
• Use of LED bulbs / Power Efficient Equipment - LED bulbs are filled with required energy and can use up to 90% less power when compared to incandescent light bulbs. They are highly efficient. LED bulbs are used in various places in the college for achieving proper lightings. The CFL fittings with higher rating wattage are replaced with LED fittings with lower wattage with the same luminous level in street lights and other possible areas of the campus. Energy star certified products are installed in air conditioners, microwave, refrigerators, ceiling fans and others in the campus.