The Kerala Man Who Introduced India’s First Solar-Powered Bus AC

In a groundbreaking development, a Kannur-based bus operator, Sangeeth Travels has unveiled India’s first solar-powered bus AC.

At one point or the other, many of us have pondered the feasibility of harnessing solar power for public transport, haven’t we?

Well, a private operator from Kerala‘s Kannur has stepped ahead to do what has never been done in India.

In a groundbreaking development, a Kannur-based bus operator, Sangeeth Travels has unveiled India’s first solar-powered bus AC.

The bus draws the energy for operating its AC system from the solar panels installed on its rooftop.

The best part is that since the AC operates independently of the engine, the bus gets way better mileage.

The Idea Behind the Solar-Powered Bus AC

Satheesh Chemmarathil, the owner of Sangeeth Travels, is known locally for his love of trying out new things.

This innovative solar-powered bus AC is just one of the many upgrades Satheesh has introduced to his buses over time.

According to Satheesh, he has long been toying with the idea of utilizing solar panels for his buses for quite some time.

“I have an AC dealership and I am acquainted with the BLDC technology. It is very efficient and can slash energy consumption by a whopping 70 percent. So I wanted to experiment on one of my buses and see how effective it is,” says Satheesh.

In January 2024, he took the plunge and initiated the first experiment by installing solar panels on one of his buses on the Kannadipparambu-Kannur Hospital route.

The installation of the Split AC was made possible with the expert guidance of CoolWell, a company backed by the Welfare Association of Kannur Expatriates.

Satheesh has also secured special authorization from the Kannur RTO to customize the bus, facilitating the fitting of the solar-powered bus AC.

The Journey from Trial to Triumph

When Satheesh first implemented the technology in his bus, there were some initial setbacks.

If he is to be believed, it was more of a trial-and-error process.

However, he remained persistent and dedicated, addressing each mistake until the system reached about 90% completion.

“Now, we’ve made it to about 90% completion, and the feedback from passengers has been amazing. It’s mostly regular folks who ride our bus, and with the scorching weather we’re having, I felt like this was something important I could do for them,” he says.

Recognizing the potential impact, other bus operators have also expressed interest in adopting similar systems for their vehicles.

“It feels good to know we’re making a difference,” he remarked with enthusiasm.

Cost of the Solar-Powered Bus AC

As it was more of a trial and error process, Satheesh invested around five lakh rupees to develop and implement the solar-powered bus AC.

Over time, mastering the technology led to a substantial reduction in costs.

Now, for other bus operators keen on adopting this innovation, the expense has significantly decreased to an average of around Rs 3.5 lakhs.

This makes it a much more economical option compared to traditional bus ACs, which typically cost around 5 lakhs.

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