The demand for energy is rising with increasing urban population and economic growth. It is crucial for cities undergoing technological transformation under the Smart Cities Mission (SCM) to meet this demand effectively. The focus of the SCM is on using smart measures for optimising the energy requirements of citizens in existing or greenfield smart cities. The ClimateSmart Cities Assessment Framework (CSCAF) provides a clear roadmap for Indian smart cities to plan their related actions and investments. The “Energy and Green Buildings” category under the framework underlines six critical indicators, including electrical power from renewable energy sources, energy-efficient street lighting in cities and the level of compliance procedures in place for green buildings. Many related projects have been undertaken under the programme. For instance, as of April 5, 2024, 645 smart energy projects worth Rs 138.3 billion have been completed and 38 projects worth Rs 7.04 billion are in progress. These projects have several components to ensure efficient energy utilisation, such as smart lighting, buildings, metering, waste management and mobility.
Smart lighting
Smart cities in India have implemented the installation of smart street lighting infrastructure in a big way. This infrastructure includes energy-saving LED and solar street lights. As of January 2024, over 5 million of these street lights have been installed and more than 89,000 km of underground electricity cabling has been constructed. One such city with ongoing installations is Coimbatore, with around 6,250 LED street lights planned to be installed across the north, south, east and west zones of the city. They will be installed on smart poles and are equipped with energy-saving mode technology. These smart poles are being set up by various smart city administrations, featuring 4G/5G equipment, expanding the Wi-Fi network across cities. They eliminate the establishment of new communication towers and are equipped with sensors for light optimisation. Fifty five such poles have also been installed by the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) in Connaught Place for dimming lights during non-peak traffic hours in order to save energy. These lights can be operated remotely according to a set time schedule. Their intensity can be lowered by 50 to 60 per cent at midnight, and around 17,500 LEDs have been used for efficient illumination. The NDMC has also taken up the maintenance of 10,000 new and efficient octagonal street light poles installed by the public works department in Delhi. Further, there are plans to install smart poles at important markets in Delhi, such as Sarojini Nagar, Bengali Market, Netaji Nagar, BK Dutt Colony Market, and Gole Market. Similarly, 50 smart poles have been installed in Visakhapatnam. Solar street lights can lower direct energy requirements. They have been installed along a 4.5 km beach road in Visakhapatnam, reducing 242 tonnes of carbon emissions per year.
Smart buildings
The CSCAF highlights the preparedness of smart cities in implementing sustainable building practices. These buildings must comply with green building codes such as the Energy Conservation Building Code and the National Building Code. They can also attain green building certifications under various voluntary rating systems like the Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment, Indian Green Building Council, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and Bureau of Energy Efficiency. To achieve such standards, the buildings under smart city projects are harnessing the maximum potential of solar energy at various scales. One key example is the Indore smart city, which is aiming to be India’s first solar-powered city. Its city administration has set a goal to install approximately 25,000 to 30,000 rooftop solar systems soon. It is expected that all government buildings will be required to install solar systems by leveraging the increased subsidies and financial rebates from the central government. Likewise, the Kerala government is planning a large-scale conversion of solar energy in the capital city of Thiruvananthapuram. It also aims to utilise all the rooftops in the city to set up solar panels and tap renewable energy.
Many smart cities have already achieved significant milestones in this space. For instance, the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) has installed rooftop solar totalling 1.68 MW on buildings at 12 locations across the city. Its project costs of Rs 84.3 million include five years of operations and maintenance (O&M) works. In addition, GVMC has also built a solar carport structure in the parking area of its head office and set up solar rooftops on 144 school buildings. This project, worth Rs 12.5 million, also includes five years of O&M. These initiatives ensure a sustainable power supply that is reliable, affordable and safe. They also utilise unused space for electricity generation, reducing electricity bills and decreasing the carbon footprint.
Smart metering and other initiatives
The efficient monitoring and maintenance of various applications like pumps in smart city projects is being done by smart meters. They enable the effective auditing of energy consumption and their subsequent pricing. In March 2024, the Bureau of Indian Standards adopted the wireless communications specification Wi-SUN Alliance Field Area Network as the national standard for the application of smart meters in India. This standardisation for wireless mesh technology indicates its role in contributing to the growth of smart cities in India. At present, Wi-SUN’s wireless mesh technology is being used in the Smart City Living Lab project in Hyderabad. Established in collaboration with Hyderabad’s International Institute of Information Technology, the Telangana government and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, the project helps in promoting smart city technologies.
Across the energy spectrum, the integration of renewable energy has also become a key element in the SCM. To this end, the Dholera smart city in Gujarat is pioneering the transition to solar energy. Its solar park project, spanning an area of 11,000 hectares and 5,000 MW of capacity, is expected to be India’s largest solar project. It is located within the Dholera Special Investment Region and is strategically divided into 11 blocks. These blocks have adopted a comprehensive approach for utilising renewable energy with the deployment of cutting-edge poly crystalline, silicon-based solar PV module technology. Similarly, GVMC has also completed a significant solar floating power plant project with a capacity of 2 MW on the Mudasarlova reservoir. Spread over an area of 4.4 acres at a cost of Rs 137.1 million, the project enables the efficient use of waterbodies’ surfaces for renewable energy generation. It generates 3,613.5 MWh of electricity per year and lowers 3,080 tonnes of carbon emissions. In addition, the project aids in water quality improvement, enabling higher solar penetration and low algae growth.
Other important energy optimisation efforts under the SCM include the conversion of energy from solid waste generated in a city. As of January 2024, waste-to-energy processing facilities of more than 700 tonnes per day capacity have been installed under the programme. Similarly, the degrading air quality caused by fuel combustion in automobiles is also being given attention. A shift to clean energy sources, such as electric vehicles (EVs), is being witnessed across smart cities. As India progresses towards an all-electric fleet by 2030, the NDMC has made strides in this direction. It has procured 32 EVs through Energy Efficiency Services Limited. It has also established electric charging stations (28 AC and nine DC) for captive use.
Moving towards the finishing line
The stakeholders of smart cities are pushing for the holistic completion of all projects by June 2024. They are also approaching energy optimisation through innovative ways, such as the beautification of cities. For instance, the NDMC has been installing solar trees in the central Delhi area and aims to have more such units in the city that can generate 1.26 kW of energy. However, citizen participation and cooperation are imperative for the mission to have a successful turnover. Proper awareness of energy consumption and sustainable lifestyle practices can significantly accelerate energy conservation. In addition, builders/developers should adopt evolved green building development processes. The design and materials used must ensure a lowered heating and cooling energy load for buildings. Real estate authorities can further facilitate this by ensuring proper adherence to guidelines when approving building development plans.
Shubhangi Goswami
