The world’s largest solar concentrator has been installed at the Kailash Cancer Hospital and Research Centre at Muni Seva Ashram in Goraj.
The Bigdish concentrator, developed by Australia National University and Sunrise CSP Australia, will generate enough steam to cook 2,000 meals per day as well as handle laundry and sterilisation for the hospital. By running 1,000 tonnes of air-conditioning with solar steam, the concentrator is also expected to help reduce the hospital’s electricity bills.
The technology has numerous applications in thermochemistry and material processing, according to Deepak Gadhia, chairman of Sunrise CSP India. Muni Seva Ashram has used solar energy since 1984 and is well-known for its efforts in this area.
“The otherwise commonly known photovoltaic solar panels can convert only 20% of the sunlight falling on them into usable energy in the form of electricity whereas through this solar concentrator technology, we are able to use 90% of the sunlight that falls on the reflector of the solar concentrator,”Gadhia, one of the trustees of Muni Seva Ashram added.