TTD feeds on solar power

Hyderabad, Dec. 18: The world’s largest solar steam cooking system installed by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) in Tirumala is a successful example of how well renewable energy can work.

The system can cook food for 15,000 devotees twice a day.

It has automatic tracking solar dish concentrators that convert water into high pressure steam, which cooks the food.

The system is hooked onto the existing boiler that works on diesel so that it can work under all climatic conditions.

The system was designed to generate over 4,000 kg of steam a day at 180º centigrade and 10 kg per square centimetre, which is sufficient to cook two meals for around 15,000 devotees. The TTD has been saving an average of 200 litres of diesel per day amounting to Rs 12 to Rs 15 lakh per annum.

The system cost Rs 1.1 crore and was set up with aid from the ministry of renewable energy. Based on this, the Environment Protection Training and Research Institute (EPTRI) proposed that solar cooking should be used in the government-run mid-day meal scheme which provides lunch for schoolchildren.