World’s largest solar concentrator installed in Vadodara, Gujarat

Vadodara: The Kailash Cancer Hospital and Research Centre at Muni Seva Ashram in Goraj, has installed the world’s largest solar concentrator.

Developed by Australia National University and Sunrise CSP Australia, the concentrator named Bigdish will produce steam for cooking 2,000 meals a day, as well as handle laundry and sterilization for the hospital. The concentrator is also expected to help reduce the hospital’s electricity bills by running 1,000 tonnes of air-conditioning with solar steam.

According to Deepak Gadhia, chairman of Sunrise CSP India, the technology has various applications in thermochemistry and material processing. Muni Seva Ashram has been using solar energy since 1984 and is renowned for its efforts in the field.

“The otherwise commonly known photovoltaic solar panels can convert only 20% of the sunlight falling on them into usable energy in the form of electricity whereas through this solar concentrator technology, we are able to use 90% of the sunlight that falls on the reflector of the solar concentrator,”Gadhia, one of the trustees of Muni Seva Ashram added. DeshGujarat