A wholly owned subsidiary of Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL), Convergence Energy Services Ltd (CESL) has set up what it terms as the 'first-of-its-kind' solar powered charging plaza for electric vehicles (EV) in India's Ladakh region, aimed at starting sustainable transportation in remote, mountainous terrains.
The project is actually a carport with 100 kW solar panels along with an 860 kW per hour lithium-ion battery energy storage system (BESS). It can also power electric buses. During the inauguration ceremony, Ladakh's Lieutenant Governor RK Mathur also handed over customized electric cars made by Hyundai with built-in battery-warming technology, that will be added to the official vehicle fleet of the Leh administration, in Ladakh.
Moving on to EVs provided by Ladakh's Transport Department, will also enable the region make a shift from diesel vehicles as part of carbon neutral initiative in Ladakh, CESL added.
Located at an altitude on almost 3,000 meters above sea level, Ladakh is a Union Territory located at the that border India shares with China. It is major tourist destination for the country. An electric vehicle charging station with the help of solar power is aimed at preserving the local environment while improving Ladakh's energy efficiency and electric mobility.
"We are positive that this project is a genesis for other upcoming green energy solutions in the hilly terrain," said CESL MD and CEO Mahua Acharya who took over the role in November 2020 to help Ministry of Power promote clean energy solutions in convergence with electric mobility and climate change (see Mahua Acharya To Lead Convergence Energy For EESL).
In a tweet, CESL said it had entered a tripartite agreement with the Ladakh administration and Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council Kargil (LAHDC) to support the region become a net zero territory and launch its green mobility initiatives.
In August 2021, CESL issued an EPC tender for a 242 kW solar PV based electric carport and rooftop solar plant with 762 kWh of lithium based battery energy storage system to be set up at Leh in Ladakh (see India PV News Snippets: BTI, Kajaria, CESL).