North India’s largest 34 MW solar power plant worth Rs. 350 crore has started producing power for 250 villages of Lambi, Punjab, reports Hindustan Times.
It was a matter of pride for Punjab to have the world’s biggest 7.5 MW rooftop solar power plant at Beas, according to Minister.
Set up by Azure Power, the plant was inaugurated by deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal and non-conventional and renewable energy minister Bikram Singh Majithia.
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By the end of this year, Punjab plans to generate 250 MW power from solar projects and by the end of next year, the state has kept a target to achieve solar generation capacity of 2000 MW, announced deputy chief minister, speaking on the occasion.
Punjab was growing by leaps and bounds in the area of solar power as this was the sixth project in the state, said, Majithia.
The union ministry of non -conventional energy had given its nod to establish a 1,000 MW solar park for which the process of land identification had been completed.
The company started its operation in Punjab in 2009 with 2 MW and is a gigawatt solar power company now. It has set up a 34 MW solar plant, largest of its kind in Northern India, with an investment of 350 crore at Panjava village in Lambi, said, Inderpreet Wadhwa, CEO, Azure Power.
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The project is supplying electricity to 250 villages and over 1 lakh households. Azure Power has signed an MOU for a 150 MW power plant with Punjab which will be set up at a cost of Rs. 1,500 crore, commented, HS Wadhwa, chairman, Azure.
The aim of the company is not just to add to the clean energy in the power sector but also generate employment opportunities for the locals, explained, Preet Sandhu, co-founder, Azure.
The government was contemplating installation of solar panels on the rooftops and the policy will reduce the power expenditure of consumers, becoming a source of income since farmers would be able to sell their surplus power to the grid, according to Badal.
Sabeena Wahid
editor@greentechlead.com