Energy Sustainability

Human - Environmental evaluation of a solar plant: A case study of a developing Solar City in Gujarat, India:

This project included an indicator based approach to check the level of sustainabiltiy of a Gandhinagar city's 1 MW solar power plant in comparison with the Gandhinagar city thermal power plant in a rapid urbanizing city. There were a total of 21 indicators selected based on the study area, and segregated into three groups - Group 1: Biosphere, Group - 2: Hydrosphere and Lithosphere, Group - 3: Atmosphere.

The resultant indices on comparison between conventional and green power plant were then evaluated qualitatively and quantitatively to calculate the level of impact caused by 1MW solar plant on the surroundings. The solar power plant proved to have the level of "Strong Sustainability" with the index of 0.58.

The purpose of this project was to support the bold decision of converting a city into a solar - powered city. The solar power plant chosen for the project was built for the purpose of research, to monitor its impact on the area and how the city can avoid any uncertain setbacks caused by it before setting up numerous solar plants all over the city. 

(BSc - dissertation project)