India’s Largest Vertical Solar Farm

We have heard about solar farms in India, but have you heard about a vertical solar farm? Yes, you heard it right. India has installed its largest vertical solar farm in the Bangalore campus of Dell International Services India Pvt Ltd. Tata Power Solar, India’s largest integrated solar company, and Dell International have together built the project. The company became the first in India to ship 1 GW modules to over 30 countries this year.

The vertical solar farm is grid connected and has a capacity of 120 kW and can easily power Dell’s parking area and café. It is a tall structure of 45 meters in height imposed on Dell’s 11 storeyed building. The vertical structure was designed with a 30-degree tilt to enable better maintenance. The construction was complex as the farm had to be integrated on the facade of the building without compromising on aesthetics. The vertical farm on Dell’s building not only supplies power but also insulates the building. The structure is expected to reduce Dell’s carbon footprint by an estimated 54.9 tons of CO2-equivalent per year.

Read about the 8 Largest Solar Farms Around the World

Now Dell’s Whitefield campus becomes the second Dell site globally to install solar power. The current installation does not use batteries, which is a major highlight of this project. Built across 3340 square feet area, the installation has 186 solar panels in place. Dell has been adopting various renewable sources for reinforcing its commitment to the environment. It is estimated that more than 22% of Dell’s global electricity came from renewable sources in FY13 itself.

Tata Solar Power which is amongst the country’s largest solar manufacturers with a production capacity of 300 MW of modules and 180 MW of cells. Tata Solar which was the partner here has further increased its production capacity – module capacity by 100% and cell capacity by 65% to expand and modernize its manufacturing facility in Bangalore. This expansion is second over the past three years.

Mr. Anil Uthappa, Sr. Project Manager at Dell International Services India Pvt Ltd, said “The project demonstrates Dell’s unflinching focus on reducing its carbon footprint. While solar energy generation was one of the qualifiers to attain the prestigious Green Building Platinum LEED certification, we have created the plant at almost four times the requisite capacity, demonstrating our commitment to going green”.

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I think it is a great way to go solar without using any of the real estate which is at premium prices in Indian cities and hope more corporates should follow Dell in implementing such green initiatives.