Context

• Scientists at the Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute (CMERI) in West Bengal have installed a ‘solar tree’ that is likely to be the largest of its kind in the world.

Key Details

• “This is the largest solar tree as per our knowledge producing up to 11,500 watts (11.5kw). The second largest tree has been set up in London and produces around 8.6kw.
• Producing around 12,000–14,000 units of clean and green power in a year, the solar tree has the potential to save 10–12 tons of CO2 from being released into the atmosphere every year.
• Solar trees because of their design use less space and hence can produce more power per unit area.

Benefits

• set up in agricultural farms to run pumps, e-tractors and tillers as an alternative to diesel. The excess power can be sent to the grid providing economic return to farmers.
• This solar tree is a quantum leap towards making an energy reliant and carbon negative India

Key Hurdles for Solar Trees

• major hurdles of solar tree is its capital investment.
• This pushes up the cost of one unit of electricity produced.
• The cost is almost double than that of solar roof top panels which takes around Rs 3.5 to produce one unit

Key Problems for Solar Panels

• One of the main hurdles while setting up solar panels on a large scale and for producing huge amount of renewable energy is availability of land.
• The inclination of the tree arms (tree branches) holding the panels can be adjusted to get the maximum output, a feature which is not available in roof top panels.

What is Solar Tree

• A solar tree is a metal structure resembling a tree that has solar panels fitted on the branches. The solar panels connected through metal branches produces solar power. 

Source: Hindustan Times