MUMBAI – A south Mumbai mosque has become the fifth major mosque in the city to go green after installing a solar energy system to save power.
“After we installed air-conditioners in the mosque, our electricity bill increased to ₹25,000 per month. To reduce this expenditure, we installed solar panels on August 10,” said Khalil Vasil Khan, trustee of the mosque, Hindustan Times reported Monday.
“We expect the monthly bill to drop to ₹1000 soon. Over the next year, we are likely to save ₹3.75 lakh in electricity bills.”
Last month, the mosque installed a 25-kilowatt power (kW) system comprising 72 solar panels.
The system generates 35,000 units of electricity per annum, around 96 units daily, which takes care of 90% of the electricity requirement at the mosque.
The other four mosques using solar power are Madarsa-e-Mohammadiya, popularly known as known as Akash Masjid in Agripada, Jama Masjid at Kalbadevi, Minara Masjid at Mohammed Ali Road and Zakaria Masjid at Masjid Bandar.
“The idea is to spread awareness about environment protection among devotees, so they reduce their dependency on polluting sources such as electricity,” said Khan.
The installation of the solar power system was a challenge as the rooftop of the mosque is curved.
“It was not easy to set up the plant because the rooftop is curved. A typical solar plant needs to be placed at an angle facing the south. The plant was redesigned to ensure it captures maximum sunlight,” said Muhammad Sohail Shaikh, chief operating officer, MSS Greentech.
An eco, green, or sustainable building refers to both a structure and the application of processes that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building’s life-cycle, from planning to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and demolition.
New technologies are constantly being developed to complement current practices in creating greener buildings. The common objective of eco-construction is to reduce the overall impact of the built environment on human health and the natural environment.