Delhi to source solar power
<p style="text-align: justify;">By 2019, Delhi would have over 1,000MW of clean energy, <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/lessening-the-burden">lessening the burden</a> on fossil fuel, said power minister <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Satyendar-Jain">Satyendar J
Published -
Nov 7, 2017 4:50 AM
By 2019, Delhi would have over 1,000MW of clean energy, lessening the burden on fossil fuel, said power minister Satyendar Jain on Friday.
Jain said after six months of deliberations, all three discoms and the power ministry have agreed in principle to switch to green energy . Jain also said that his department has approved subsidies for solar pumps for Delhi farmers.
Central PSU Solar Energy Corporation of India is the nodal agency and would be in charge of the tender process over the next three months.The solar panels, though, would be set up elsewhere in the country; Delhi would only buy the power generated. "The whole process will take around 1 to 1.5 years by when the peak demand 6,500MW will also go up.Through this agreement, we are not only trying to meet the growing demand but also doing it in a ecofriendly manner," Jain added.
Industry experts say that Delhi currently sources aro und 100MW of its total power demand from solar generation units through PTAs and net metering by users. A reduction in input costs for solar power has facilitated the move. The ministry estimates this solar power to cost about Rs 3 per unit, lower than conventional energy that costs on an average Rs 5.5. "Around 1.5 years back, when we were attempting to execute such a project, the cost was around Rs 6-6.5 per unit," Jain said. The minster also announced that the power ministry has given in-principle nod for providing additional subsidy to Delhi's farmers for installing solar pumps to lower their costs. Currently , several thousand agricultural connections are being used for boring work. Most of these agricultural connections are in north and west Delhi.
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