Government approves 1000 MW grid-connected solar power projects


PTI



The government is targeting 1000 MW of solar power by 2013 of which 500 MW would be solar PV and 500 MW through solar thermal technology, New and Renewable Energy Minister Farooq Abdullah said today.



In West Bengal a demo tidal wave power project of 100 MW will be executed, Mr. Abdullah said.



He also said as an experiment 100 telecom towers would be switched from diesel to solar power for cooling.



The government has targetted 20,000 MW of solar power by 2020 through the Solar Mission. The total potential for renewable energy output is estimated at 85,000 MW.



Indian Reneawble Energy Development Agency CMD Debashish Majumdar said, “Due to huge interest, government will have to go for reverse bidding in September for the proposed grid connected 500 MW photovoltiac solar power projects.”



Some 2,000 applications for 5 MW each capacity were received and so reverse bidding will be adopted to select 100 projects offering the cheapest rate from the announced rate of Rs. 17.90 per unit, he said on the sidelines of Bengal National Chamber of Commerce and Industry interactive session,



Tariff for each project would be determined through reverse bidding.