Among the hundreds of industries functioning in the Sriperumbudur industrial belt of Kancheepuram district, one factory seems to stand out as far as efficient use of natural resources of water and sunlight is concerned. A solar panel manufacturer has pioneered the art of saving water through the ‘Zero liquid discharge’ (ZLD) project, with zero waste generation.
First Solar, a US-based wholly owned subsidiary of First Solar, Inc, operating within a water-intensive industry segment, is engaged in the manufacture of solar panels for Independent Power Producers (IPPs) located in the SIPCOT Industrial park of Pillaipakkam near Sriperumbudur.
The 3.30 giga watt (GW) solar panel manufacturing factory, spanning more than 130 acres, has actualised the mantra of ‘reuse, recycle, and repurpose’ in the manufacturing process through efficient use of water and manufacturing waste.
N.L. Selvakumar, head, environment and recycling, First Solar, who is in charge of the ZLD system, said the factory floor, spanning more than 24 lakh sq.ft., needs water for two purposes — cooling the factory and manufacturing.
The company, which requires almost 3.60 million litres of water per day, had tied up with Metrowater to supply tertiary-treated reverse osmosis (RO) water from the Koyambedu sewage treatment plant for the factory’s needs. But subsequently, the company set up their own water treatment facility (ZLD), resulting in the reduction of more than 50% dependence on the sourced RO water from Koyambedu plant.
