Anna University in Chennai has set up a 3kw solar power plant on the campus to reduce dependence on non-renewable forms of energy.

University vice-chancellor M Rajaram inaugurated the solar plant installed at the Centre for Nanoscience and Technology on the A C Tech campus of the university. The solar power plant, donated by an alumnus, is fabricated with polycrystalline silicon modules and can produce electricity at an average of 12,000 watts a day.

University officials said part of the power requirements of the Centre for Nanoscience and Technology would be met using solar energy from the plant. The centre has been conducting research on concentrated solar photovoltaics to reduce the panel area while considering higher capacity plants.

The university is planning to set up such plants in all the constituent institutions to meet Tamil Nadu's solar policy, which mandates that 6% of the total power consumption in all educational institutions should be met by solar energy.