Will Sanand be Gujarat’s satellite town?

How about having a town in Gujarat — buildings generate energy for its use? If all goes well Gujarat might soon get one of such town under the Ministry of Urban Development, Government of India under its project to come up with Satellite Town with the US Department of Energy.

Buzz in the urban development department say, Sanand from Gujarat might come up as Satellite Town under the ministry of urban development department of Government of India.

Senior Executive Board Member at the US Department of Energy, Mark Ginsberg said there is plan of coming up with eight satellite towns in India under the project. Ginsberg while elaborating on the concept of Satellite Town, “For general concept is it is going to be a new township or SEZ or satellite city that can be designed from start to be more energy efficient — with use of renewable energy and to be sustainable. More importantly, such towns are also planned keeping best of urban planning in mind.” said.

He said, the concept includes buildings that are highly energy efficient which has solar parks with ground source heat pumps that powers renewable energy as per the need of the community. Such towns would have its solid waste going to its local bio-refinery to generate energy. 

Ginsberg said they are also working with the ministry of urban development to prepare model guidelines to keep separate provision for green energy as part of urban planning. “There will be guidelines to check if proposals submitted by local civic body has included energy conservancy in the project of planning,” said Ginsberg.