'All lighthouses to be solarised by December'

The Directorate General of Lighthouse and Lightships (DGLL) on Friday said it has decided to replace the source of energy at all of its light house with solar energy in order to reduce C02 emission.

"In order to reduce CO2 emission, DGLL has decided to replace the source of energy utilised at lighthouses to renewable source and started harnessing solar energy to operate its lighthouses," said an statement from the DGLL, a subordinate organisation under the Ministry of Shipping.

DCLL is presently maintaining 193 Lighthouses which provide aids to marine navigation to the mariners transiting in coastal waters of India.

"Most of these Lighthouses were operating on the conventional source of energy -- Electricity and Diesel Generators which consume fossil fuel and emit high amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) thus increasing greenhouse effect and causing air pollution. Generation of 1 Mega Watt Hour (MWh) power through fossil fuel leads to emission of approximately 900 kg of Co2," said an statement from the DCLL.

According to the organisation, till date 176 Lighthouses have been fully solarised.

"The Directorate has planned to achieve complete solarisation of all the Lighthouses by December 31, 2016. With this complete solarisation, approximately 1.5 MWh energy will be generated which will amount to approximately reducing 6,000 kg of greenhouse gases per day," said the statement.

--IANS

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