Solar Energy

Under the solar energy programmes of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy a total of 74,203 solar home lighting systems, 11,328 solar street lighting systems, 83,378 solar lanterns, 659 solar pumps, 956 kWp capacity of solar PV plants and 57,532 solar cookers have been installed during the last three years. A state wise list of these systems is given in Annexure. The programme on solar water heaters is implemented through Banks and other financial institutions, therefore, state wise details are not maintained. During the last three years about 10 lakh square metre solar thermal collector area has been installed in the country, mainly for solar water heaters. These systems are estimated to save about 608 million units of electricity in a year.

Recently the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has announced a demonstration programme to support mega watt size grid interactive solar power generation projects, up to a maximum capacity of 50 MW, in the country. Any registered company, as project developer, would be eligible to set up solar power projects on build, own and operate basis. Proposal from each project developer with a maximum aggregate capacity of 5 MW, either through a single project or multiple projects of a minimum capacity of 1 MW each, would be considered.

A maximum of 10 MW capacity solar power generation projects would be considered in a State. Preference would be given to the projects from the States where the State Electricity Regulatory Commissions (SERCs) have announced or are in the process of announcing tariff for solar power.

For projects approved and commissioned by 31st December, 2009, the Ministry will provide generation based incentive up to Rs.12 per kWh for solar photovoltaic power and Rs.10 per kWh for solar thermal power fed to the grid by the solar power project developers, after taking in to account the tariff provided by the SERC or the utility. The Ministry will also provide incentive to the concerned utility and the State Nodal Agency, which will be involved in implementation and monitoring of the projects in that State.

Investment of about Rs. 1,000 crore is expected by public and private sectors through installation of 50 MW capacity solar power plants during the 11th plan period.

This information was given by the Minister of State for New And Renewable Energy, Shri Vilas Muttemwar, in a written reply to a question by Shri Balashowry Vallabhaneni, Shri Chandra Bhushan Singh, Shri Dushyant Singh in the Lok Sabha today.

Source: Press Information Bureau
Date: March 14, 2008