IIT-B builds solar-powered villa

As India takes baby steps in to world of clean energy, IIT Bombay is close to create history with their Project Solarise, a solar powered house that will compete amongst the 22 final entries in Solar Decathlon China where it will represent India.

The 70-member team of IIT-B, Team Shunya, has created a 480sqft zero energy, affordable house, run completely on solar energy and can be assembled within 10 days. The team, will fly to China, in 2017 to take part in the ten day long competition during which they will build and operate the house.

Solar Decathlon China 2017 was formed through a memorandum of understanding among the U.S. Department of Energy, the National Energy Administration of the People’s Republic of China, and the China Overseas Development Association. The international competition that challenges collegiate teams to design, build and operate a fully functional energy-efficient solar powered house, is also reputed as the ‘Olympics of the Solar Industry.’ The 2017 edition of Solar Decathlon is to be held in Dezhou, Shandong, China.

Talking about the Rs 1.23 crores project, the team members said that apart from the elation of being short listed, the passionate team of students, building a solar powered house is also focusing to offer a sustainable existence for Indian masses at affordable rates to address country’s growing energy and housing problems.

“We are building a two-storey villa spanning over 180sqm. The house will not only be 100 per cent solar powered, it will be a net positive energy house. The modular, pref abricated house will be shipped in parts to China for the competition where we will assemble it within 10 days,” said a team member Prashant Merugu from IIT-B.

The team members added that the house is designed keeping in mind the smart city projects of India and will cater to the needs of future smart cities.