Solar power keeping ITBP outposts along China border warm

India has set up solar-powered outposts for The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) at a forward location near the India-China border at the height of 18,000 feet. With solar panels covering the roofs, these outposts get uninterrupted electricity and are capable of central heating for the troops to brave the freezing weather of the high-altitude mountainous region.

The camps use PV panels from Indian manufacturer MicroSun Solar Tech to generate the electricity.

The India-China border runs from Ladakh to Arunachal Pradesh—the remote mountainous area of Northern and Eastern India that is located high up in the Himalayan Range. The area, known for its pristine beauty and challenging terrain, is marked by far-flung, sparsely populated villages—a majority of which have inadequate or no energy supply as the terrain makes drawing grid lines a daunting task.

The MicroSun Solar team was able to successfully transport the panels, install and execute the project despite the challenges posed by the area’s difficult terrain. 

“The camps are nestled on top in the hilly region. The sheer drop of the hillside rules out the set-up of a power grid. Trekking and flying through Army helicopters to as high as 18,000 feet to transport the solar energy equipment and set it up was a big task but much of fun too. Our engineers experienced the most challenging job to install and execute the projects, but we completed the task with sheer dedication,” said MicroSun Solar in a media statement.