About 300 homes in four hamlets of Nalgonda district in Telangana are getting 24-hour power supply to meet their domestic needs, thanks to solar power.

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, Verizon Data Services India, Southern Power Distribution Company of Telangana Ltd and Rural Electrification Corporation have joined hands to install a 125 watt solar panel in the hamlets of Ramunigandla, Kesya, Jogi and Mantriya Thanda of Devarakonda mandal in the backward Nalgonda district.

Inverter not needed The IIT has developed the technology which does not require an inverter and can power a fan, a tubelight, two bulbs, a mobile charger, a power socket and a remote controller to operate the fan and tubelight.

The performance of the installed systems are being monitored remotely, with data being collected via mobile phones and synchronised to a central server. The project was implemented under the aegis of Ashok Jhunjhunwala, Principal Advisor, Union Ministries of Power and New and Renewable Energy, and professor (on sabbatical), IIT Madras.

The solar panel has been installed by Cygni Energy Pvt Ltd, a IIT Madras incubated firm which has got the technology transferred, while Verizon has provided financial assistance to the tune of ₹75 lakh.

Frugal existence The residents of these hamlets, located about 100 km from Hyderabad, are poor and dependant on paddy and cotton farming for livelihood. They have been facing frequent power outages, especially during monsoons and peak demand times.

The payback period for the project is less than three years, said Venkat Rajaraman, CEO of Cygni.

Kalyani Sekhar, MD of Verizon, said the company is committed to provide inverterless solar system for off-grid areas.

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