Project Title: Solar Thermal Concentrator BIGDISH for Air-conditioning
Location: Goraj, Waghodia, Vadodara, Gujarat
Implemented by: Rotary Club of Bombay Pier with Muni Seva Ashram
Corporate partner: Apar Industries
Implementation: 2025
At Kailash Cancer Hospital and Research Centre in Goraj, Gujarat, keeping a large hospital cool is an essential but energy-intensive part of providing care. Muni Seva Ashram, which manages the hospital, had identified air-conditioning as a significant part of its operating costs. The hospital serves patients from rural and lower-income communities, with about half of its cancer patients receiving treatment free of cost.
To help reduce the hospital’s dependence on electricity for cooling, Rotary Club of Bombay Pier supported Muni Seva Ashram in installing a BIGDISH solar thermal concentrator. The system uses solar energy to generate steam, which is then used through a vapour absorption chiller to produce chilled water for air-conditioning.
The project was designed as part of Muni Seva Ashram’s broader transition from conventional compressor-based cooling to solar thermal technology. The BIGDISH was installed and handed over to the Ashram in 2025, and the closure report records that the system was working satisfactorily.
The installation is expected to provide cooling for more than 20,000 patients annually. The system also helps protect sensitive hospital equipment from excessive heat, supporting its longer-term operation and service. According to the project report, the installation is expected to reduce carbon emissions by about 145 tonnes of CO₂ a year.
The project also focused on ensuring that the technology could be managed locally. Muni Seva Ashram’s utility team, led by Utility Manager Pankaj Patel, received hands-on training from engineers and operators from Sunrise CSP India, the technology provider. The Ashram’s utility department will operate and maintain the system and use its data logger to monitor performance.
For a hospital where reliable cooling is part of the infrastructure needed to care for patients, the project brings together two priorities: supporting healthcare delivery while making energy use more sustainable. It also builds on Muni Seva Ashram’s long-standing use of solar technologies across its campus.