THE GUJARAT government under Narendra Modi has emerged as the hub for solar power generation with Charanka solar power project in the Banaskantha district of the state generating over 600 megawatt power. Gujarat was the first state to launch a full-fledged climate department and launched a comprehensive solar policy in 2009 to address growing environmental concerns and power generation.
The state government had entered into an agreement with the Clinton Climate Initiative under Clinton Foundation on September 7, 2009 to boost generation of solar energy. "Gujarat is the first state in India to achieve the mandatory requirement of energy generated from renewable sources. It is way ahead of the other states as far as solar energy is concerned. We have been able to utilize arid land into productive units," Purushottam Rupala, Rajya Sabha MP from Gujarat, told Sahara Time.
"The Gujarat government offers incentives in the Solar Power Policy including exemption from electricity duty and demand cut of 50 per cent of the installed capacity. The state plans to invest Rs 12,000 crore in the solar energy sector by 2014 to generate 716 MW of solar power. This would help in avoiding use of 8.75 lakh tonnes of coal and curb 12.50 lakh tonnes of carbon dioxide emission, annually. It was supposed to provide employment to 5,000 people. Gujarat Energy and Development Agency (GEDA) and Gujarat Power Corporation Ltd are the state government agencies for facilitation and implementation of Solar Power Policy - 2009," said a Gujarat government official.
In another government initiative with a view to making Gandhinagar a solar city, the state government has launched a roof-top solar power generation scheme. Under this scheme, the state has planned to generate 5MW of solar power by putting solar panels on about 50 state government buildings and on 500 private buildings. The state has also a plan to replicate this project in Rajkot, Surat, Bhavnagar and Vadodara in 2012-13.
Besides there is also a plan to generate solar power by putting solar panels on the Narmada canal branches. As a part of this scheme, the state has already commissioned 1 MW solar plant at the Narmada canal near Chandrasan area of Kadi Taluka. This stops 90,000 lakh litres of water from Narmada river evaporating. Apart from this, the state government has also come up with an initiative for exploiting the wind and tidal energies in line with its approach of promoting renewable energy sources in power generation. Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi said, "A comprehensive approach would boost research and development. Not only that, Gujarat would also emerge as the manufacturing hub of solar equipment. The state is also committed to promote research and development in solar energy." The Central government had finalized a draft for the National Solar Mission. It aims to make India a global leader in solar energy and envisages solar power generation capacity of 20,000 MW by 2020. -VKS
GUJARAT: REAPING SOLAR POWER - Power Engineering
Gujarat has emerged as the worlds solar capital and has beaten China as well now.
The state government had entered into an agreement with the Clinton Climate Initiative under Clinton Foundation on September 7, 2009 to boost generation of solar energy. "Gujarat is the first state in India to achieve the mandatory requirement of energy generated from renewable sources. It is way ahead of the other states as far as solar energy is concerned. We have been able to utilize arid land into productive units," Purushottam Rupala, Rajya Sabha MP from Gujarat, told Sahara Time.
"The Gujarat government offers incentives in the Solar Power Policy including exemption from electricity duty and demand cut of 50 per cent of the installed capacity. The state plans to invest Rs 12,000 crore in the solar energy sector by 2014 to generate 716 MW of solar power. This would help in avoiding use of 8.75 lakh tonnes of coal and curb 12.50 lakh tonnes of carbon dioxide emission, annually. It was supposed to provide employment to 5,000 people. Gujarat Energy and Development Agency (GEDA) and Gujarat Power Corporation Ltd are the state government agencies for facilitation and implementation of Solar Power Policy - 2009," said a Gujarat government official.
In another government initiative with a view to making Gandhinagar a solar city, the state government has launched a roof-top solar power generation scheme. Under this scheme, the state has planned to generate 5MW of solar power by putting solar panels on about 50 state government buildings and on 500 private buildings. The state has also a plan to replicate this project in Rajkot, Surat, Bhavnagar and Vadodara in 2012-13.
Besides there is also a plan to generate solar power by putting solar panels on the Narmada canal branches. As a part of this scheme, the state has already commissioned 1 MW solar plant at the Narmada canal near Chandrasan area of Kadi Taluka. This stops 90,000 lakh litres of water from Narmada river evaporating. Apart from this, the state government has also come up with an initiative for exploiting the wind and tidal energies in line with its approach of promoting renewable energy sources in power generation. Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi said, "A comprehensive approach would boost research and development. Not only that, Gujarat would also emerge as the manufacturing hub of solar equipment. The state is also committed to promote research and development in solar energy." The Central government had finalized a draft for the National Solar Mission. It aims to make India a global leader in solar energy and envisages solar power generation capacity of 20,000 MW by 2020. -VKS
GUJARAT: REAPING SOLAR POWER - Power Engineering
Gujarat has emerged as the worlds solar capital and has beaten China as well now.
