UN asks India to make solar contribution by 10% of total energy mix by 2020

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has asked India to make solar energy contribution by 10 percent of the total energy mix by 2020.

He also urged emerging economies including India to take necessary action to combat climate change, The Hindu reported.

Speaking on the occasion of dedicating second canal-top 10-MW solar power project in Gujarat to the nation, Ban Ki-moon said: “India is taking the lead in ending energy poverty and this project shows us how.”

The developed countries had caused more impact on climate and they had different capacities to tackle impacts. India was taking necessary action with projects like these, which all developing countries should emulate, he explained while interacting with media persons after visiting the canal project.

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On viewing the canal top, he said he saw “more than the glittering panels, the future of India and the future of our world. This facility shows how one project can have multiple uses of conserving land and using renewables.”

The solar panels placed on top of the Sardar Sarovar project canal are the first-of-its-kind project in the world.

The first one-MW pilot project was commissioned on the Sanand canal in April 2012, which was commissioned within 1,000 days of conception.

The new 10-MW megawatt project that passes through Vadodara city, at a stretch of 3.6 km includes nearly 35,000 solar panels.

The panels are built over the canal to ensure that around 9 million liters of water does not evaporate.

The generated power is supplied to the State grid and also used to operate pumping stations situated on the canal.

The project was established at a cost of $18.3 million and was commissioned in November 2014.

Sabeena Wahid
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