Bhopal: Omega Renk Bearings (ORB) Pvt Ltd, a manufacturer of white metal line sleeve bearings in association with the German Gildemeister Group, today announced the launch of the country's ''first solar power plant'' with a tracking system at Khajuri Khurd near the Madhya Pradesh capital. Gildemeister Chairman Rudiger Kapitza inaugurated the Rs 2.5-crore unit. ''The plant has been cleared for directly feeding up to 67 KW to the Madhya Pradesh Central Region Power Distribution Company Ltd,'' ORB Managing Director Sushil Prakash told media persons.
The launch marks the entry of ORB -- also a sub-supplier and partner of Renk AG, Germany -- into green power generation and solar energy production with two photo-voltaic tracking systems attached to the plant. The tracking system has controls for operation, tracking and synchronising. “The system -- which monitors the changing position of the sun resulting in generation of 30 per cent more power compared to conventional market solutions for solar energy -- has been supplied by 'a+f GmbH', Germany, a division of Gildemeister,” he said.
Furnishing details about global solar energy market prospects, Dr Kapitza said that it made much more sense for his company to set up a solar plant in India blessed with much more sunlight throughout the year than Europe or the United States. “This unit can withstand harsh climatic conditions. This project will act as a guide for similar projects in India in the near future,” he added.