Kerala embarks on unique power generation mode

Kerala has become the first state in the country to launch an ambitious programme to generate over 10 MW of solar power through over 10000 roof-top solar power systems of I kw each to be installed at individual houses.

The unique programme was formally launched by Dr Farooq Abdullah, Minister for New and Renewable Energy at Tiruvanthapuram on Monday. Oomen Chandy, Chief Minister of Kerala was also present on the occasion.

This is the biggest program sanctioned to Kerala so far with an overall expenditure of over Rs 175 crores and budgetary support of over Rs. 80 crores from the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).

The aggregated and complete project is expected to generate 15 Million Units of electricity annually.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Abdullah promised his Ministry’s support for the second phase of the project aimed at reaching over 50,000 households with a subsidy support of over Rs. 200 crores.

The project has been sanctioned by MNRE under Solar Off-Grid Photovoltaic program of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM). The Mission- launched in 2010- aims to achieve a target of 200 MW of off-grid solar applications to be achieved by the end of March 2013. This target is apart from 20 Million Solar Home Systems to be installed by 2022.

The Ministry has already sanctioned several projects to various states including Kerala. It sanctioned various solar projects for schools, hospitals, police stations, panchayats, bus stations, telecom towers and forest villages in various states. In Madhya Pradesh, the forest Department has installed Solar Power Plants / Packs to power its check posts, monitoring stations and other establishments of the forest department with the help of the Ministry.

In Jammu and Kashmir, the Ministry has supported installation of Solar Power Plants in all sub-district hospitals to provide uninterrupted power supply for critical operations. Solar pumps for irrigation purpose have also been sanctioned in Rajasthan, Bihar, Haryana, Punjab and Chhattisgarh. So far over 50 MW of installations have already been completed under the scheme. A subsidy of 30% of the bench mark price is provided as central financial assistance for promoting various off grid applications including Solar Home Systems, Solar Street Lights, Solar Power Packs, small Solar power plants, mini grids and solar pumps.