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Sun and steam curry together at Shirdi's innovative complex.
At the prasadalaya at Shirdi's Shri Saibaba Sansthan, food is cooked for 7,000 devotees every day using a solar steam cooking system. For the thousands of devotees visiting the shrine at Shirdi, Maharashtra, everyday, food is offered at a subsidised rate of Rs 4 per meal and solar steam cooking is proving extremely economical. The first institution to employ the solar steam cooking system was the Brahma Kumari World Renewable Spiritual Trust at Mount Abu, where food was cooked for 1,000 persons a day. Two years later, by 1999, the system's capacity was increased to cater to 10,000 people, making it the largest solar steam cooking system in the world. Encouraged by its success, the Ministry of Non Conventional Energy Sources (MNES) decided to promote the installation of more solar cooking systems, offering 50 per cent of the financial support. At Shirdi the second solar steam cooking system was set up in May 2001 by Gadhia Solar Energy System, under the MNES 50 per cent subsidy scheme. It is a first for Maharashtra. The system works with 40 parabolic concentrators, known as Scheffler dishes. These concentrate solar rays onto 40 receivers. Water is heated to temperatures of 5500-6500 and converted to steam, which is sent through insulated pipes to the kitchen, where it is used to cook for 7,000 people a day. The system is integrated with a gas-fired boiler system so that cooking is not interrupted at night or by cloudy weather. The Sansthan at Shirdi is open to new, innovative methods in order to reduce overhead expenses. It has also set up solar hot water systems in their dharmashalas. Biogas plants have been set up and the gas is used to drive generators that produce electricity for use in the Sansthan complex. Solar street lights are used and now the cooking system has been solarised. The aim of the Sansthan is to reduce LPG gas consumption in boilers for cooking by 50 per cent. The Sansthan wants to use as much natural alternative energy as possible to promote environmental protection, its conservation and rejuvenation by using renewable and clean energy. MNES and the Maharashtra Energy Development Agency (MEDA) have been supporting the Sansthan in realising these objectives. Contact: Deepak Gadhia
Gadhia Solar Energy Systems Pvt. Ltd.
Plot No. 86, Old GIDC Gundlav
Valsad 396035,
Gujarat, India
Tel: 91-2632-36703
Email:
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