$10-b solar power project set to shine on Gujarat
Gujarat envisaged only 500 MW of solar power generation by 2014. But this modest target may now be increased to 3,000 MW with the world’s largest solar power project, proposed to be set up with an investment of nearly $10 billion (Rs 50,000 crore), likely to become a reality soon.
A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed here recently by Mr S. Jagadeesan, Principal Secretary, State Energy Department, and Mr Ira Magaziner, Chairman of the Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI), in the presence of the Chief Minister, Mr Narendra Modi. The CCI is a programme of the William J. Clinton Foundation, set up by former US President Mr Bill Clinton.
The proposed solar energy park would be spread over 5,000 hectares which may be made available in a couple of months in Banaskantha, Patan, Surendranagar and Kutch districts along the India-Pakistan border, in a bid to harness otherwise infertile desert land for developing its energy security.
CCI is considering similar parks in the US, South Africa and Australia. It is in talks with companies from across the world to invest in the project, Mr Magaziner said.
CCI is also negotiating with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and fund houses to raise money at lower interest rates to bring down the unit cost of electricity in the next five-six years.
In January, the State Government had announced a solar energy policy to harness the potential of the inexhaustible source, and has allotted a capacity of over 700 MW to 34 national and international developers for setting up solar power plants in the State.
The proposed parks would serve as a concentrated zone of solar energy development in Gujarat and would include 3,000-plus MW of solar power generation plants, manufacturing and R&D facilities. Individual solar plants would be constructed on the land in clusters with a predictable timeline, sharing common transmission and infrastructure.
A solar park can lower the cost of solar power due to economies of scale and use of less expensive, domestically manufactured components. It can also serve as a solar manufacturing and technology hub, an official said.
Under the MoU signed with the CCI, the State Government would facilitate identification of land and create the infrastructure for setting up the solar power plants in co-ordination with CCI. It would invite national and international developers to set up these plants on chargeable basis for the infrastructure created. The power produced by these plants would be purchased by the State power utilities.
The proposed 3,000-plus MW solar power plants would generate over 5,200 million units of energy. They would reduce carbon-dioxide emission to the extent of 5.2 million tonnes annually and create employment opportunities for over 20,000 people.
source
Gujarat envisaged only 500 MW of solar power generation by 2014. But this modest target may now be increased to 3,000 MW with the world’s largest solar power project, proposed to be set up with an investment of nearly $10 billion (Rs 50,000 crore), likely to become a reality soon.
A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed here recently by Mr S. Jagadeesan, Principal Secretary, State Energy Department, and Mr Ira Magaziner, Chairman of the Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI), in the presence of the Chief Minister, Mr Narendra Modi. The CCI is a programme of the William J. Clinton Foundation, set up by former US President Mr Bill Clinton.
The proposed solar energy park would be spread over 5,000 hectares which may be made available in a couple of months in Banaskantha, Patan, Surendranagar and Kutch districts along the India-Pakistan border, in a bid to harness otherwise infertile desert land for developing its energy security.
CCI is considering similar parks in the US, South Africa and Australia. It is in talks with companies from across the world to invest in the project, Mr Magaziner said.
CCI is also negotiating with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and fund houses to raise money at lower interest rates to bring down the unit cost of electricity in the next five-six years.
In January, the State Government had announced a solar energy policy to harness the potential of the inexhaustible source, and has allotted a capacity of over 700 MW to 34 national and international developers for setting up solar power plants in the State.
The proposed parks would serve as a concentrated zone of solar energy development in Gujarat and would include 3,000-plus MW of solar power generation plants, manufacturing and R&D facilities. Individual solar plants would be constructed on the land in clusters with a predictable timeline, sharing common transmission and infrastructure.
A solar park can lower the cost of solar power due to economies of scale and use of less expensive, domestically manufactured components. It can also serve as a solar manufacturing and technology hub, an official said.
Under the MoU signed with the CCI, the State Government would facilitate identification of land and create the infrastructure for setting up the solar power plants in co-ordination with CCI. It would invite national and international developers to set up these plants on chargeable basis for the infrastructure created. The power produced by these plants would be purchased by the State power utilities.
The proposed 3,000-plus MW solar power plants would generate over 5,200 million units of energy. They would reduce carbon-dioxide emission to the extent of 5.2 million tonnes annually and create employment opportunities for over 20,000 people.
source