KU alumni body installs solar system at Department of Applied Chemistry

Chairman of the University of Karachi Alumni Association (UKAA) Washington DC, Baltimore chapter, Tariq Hassan, and Prof Dr Khalid Mahmood Iraqi, acting vice chancellor of the Karachi University, jointly inaugurated a solar power project at the Department of Applied Chemistry and Chemical Technology of the varsity on Thursday.

The system was funded by the UKAA Washington DC and the alma mater had also shown its interest to further extend cooperation with the KU. Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Iraqi said that traditional power supply was very costly and the prices were increasing day by day besides the fact that they were still facing electricity shortfall.

Keeping such scenario in mind, shifting from the conservative source of energy to the solar power system was a good change, he said. “We inaugurate projects and fix plaques on them, but in this case, the project was already installed and it was running on a pilot basis before we officially inaugurated it today.”

He said that the KU paid around Rs30 million every month in lieu of electricity bills. The vice chancellor also announced to constitute a committee and said he would head the committee which would initiate the project of converting all departments of the varsity on the solar power system. The committee would start working from the next week.

He expressed that the KU would be able to save a good amount of money if all departments were shifted to solar system and the saved amount could be used to provide more facilities and scholarships to the students.

“We have to take decisions that can have a direct impact on the students and the faculty members as they are the main stakeholders of the university.” Hassan said that they provided scholarships to the needy students of the KU and its affiliated colleges and they funded various sustainable development projects at the varsity.

He shared that at least 500 students were awarded scholarships this year by the UKAA Washington DC, and now they would like to convert at least two departments to solar power system every year.

“The 29 panels are providing 9KW to two blocks of the department, 4500W to classroom block and 4500W to laboratory block.” Dr Riaz Ahmed, assistant professor at the department, said that they had shifted classroom and laboratory blocks to solar energy that included corridors, computer lab, eight lab fans and tubelights. The 29 panels along with two batteries provide electricity to classrooms only for an extra two hours in the evening. He mentioned that the association had also provided a grant for fire safety and first aid equipment to the department.