IIT-Kgp aims to go 'energy positive' in five years

The Indian Institute of Technology-Kharagpur is aiming to go "energy-positive" (power surplus) in the next five years, its director said here on Friday.

With plans to launch small-scale projects and demonstrations for smart sustainable habitats in its 2,100-acre campus, IIT-Kgp is going full-throttle to achieve the energy-positive status.

Transitioning to energy-positive refers to a capacity to generate more electricity than consumption.

"We are planning in a big way to make our campus power surplus in the next five years. Except for power, we generate everything on our own, including water. We are targeting to become energy positive in the next five years," director Partha Pratim Chakrabarti told media persons here.

Chakrabarti was speaking at the international symposium on 'Livable habitat and sustainable infrastructure: a key to smart city growth'.

Chakrabarti said solar energy would be a key player in the energy positive goal.

Among the other ideas, solutions like developing cycle tracks, road signage, bio solar sensors, revamping water and sewerage system using IIT-Kgp's own technology are being thrashed out to demonstrate "smart sustainable concepts" which could be scaled up.