CM stresses to utilize Renewable energy resources

Final master plans for development of Shimla and Hamirpur as Solar cities approved by MNRE

The growing need of energy and increasing environmental concern is a challenge to the mankind, hence, other alternatives of conventional resources of energy have to be explored, said Chief Minister Mr Virbhadra Singh after inaugurating workshop on Promotion of Solar Technologies in Himachal Pradesh under Solar City programme organized by HIMURJA and Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India (GoI), at Hotel Holiday Home today.

It is essential to tackle the energy crisis through judicious utilization of abundant renewable energy resources, such as Biomass, Solar, Wind and Geothermal Energy, he said.

The Chief Minister said that our country is facing an acute energy scarcity which is hampering its industrial growth and economic progress. Setting up of new power plants is inevitably dependent on import of highly volatile fossil fuels. He said that amid the growing demand for sustainable energy, the solar power technologies are on the verge of large scale global deployment for being clean renewable resource with zero emission and having tremendous potential of energy. He said that with recent developments in the field, solar energy systems are easily available for industrial and domestic use with the added advantage of minimum maintenance.

It was the then Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, who admitted that solar energy will transform rural India and had launched a National Solar Mission in 2010, he said.

Mr Virbhadra Singh said that Himachal Pradesh endorses the National Policy for promoting clean and environment friendly technologies for exploiting the available power potential.   Time has come to adopt renewable sources of energy instead of polluting fossil fuels as such resources are in abundance in the country, he said, adding that  State Government has been working for development of renewable energy resources. “We have planned to reduce environmental de-gradation and de-forestation by promoting renewable energy technologies in the State”, he said.

He said that final master plans for development of Shimla and Hamirpur cities, as solar cities, have been approved by MNRE, GoI. The Ministry has conveyed the sanction of 15 kWp Solar Power Plant at Panchayat Bhawan, Shimla, 20 kWp Solar Plants each at Ridge Shimla and at Old Bus Stand.

Chief Minister said that as Himachal Pradesh was having increased solar radiation level,   it had the potential of becoming a model State in terms of promotion and development of Solar Energy. Our Government is making efforts to promote the solar energy programme and has notified the revised Solar Power Policy in January, 2016, which is valid upto March 2022, he said adding further that the government had simplified the procedures with time lines for setting up of solar power plants in the State.

As small hydro-power sector also plays a vital role in producing power at cheaper rates, five projects at Juthed, Kothi, Lingti, Sural and Purthi of 900 Kilo Watt capacity had been commissioned by HIMURJA in small hydro power sector, besides four projects of 1470 KW capacity had been commissioned under State sector funding at Sarahan, Gharola, Saach, Billing and Bara Bangal, the Chief Minister said.

 It is the endeavor of our Government to pursue the people to install grid connected roof top solar power plants for which regulation under the policy of Net Metering have been notified by the State Government, said the Chief Minister. To provide reliable power supply in the remote and tribal areas, solar power plants upto 1 kWp have been installed in Spiti Valley. “It has been conveyed to me that Shimla is being developed as a ‘Pilot Solar City’ and the projects under this programme are nearing completion”, he said. He  further added that he would like to see Shimla as a Model Solar City and the department should work on other projects so as to develop Solar Cities in other parts of Himachal Pradesh”, he said.

Mr Tarun Kapoor, Joint Secretary, MNRE, GoI while detailing about the use of conventional  Energy resources said that at present the Solar projects of 5547 Mega watt had been currently installed up-to February 2016 and the country targets to achieve 1,00,000 MW of solar power by 2022. He said at present India had been ranked eighth in Solar Production. In reference to Himachal Pradesh, Mr Kapoor said that there was abundant solar radiation in Spiti and Ladakh regions but it needs to redress the transmission part.

There was a time when the charges for Solar power was Rs 17 to    Rs.18 per unit which has considerably reduced to Rs 4/- to Rs 5/- on ground mounted solar panels and it was somewhere between Rs 6/- on Roof top mounted plants. The Shift from large scale hydro energy to Solar and wind energy has been notable, he said adding that today India was at fifth position in producing wind energy after, USA, China, Germany and Japan.

Mayor Mr Sanjay Chauhan, also spoke on the occasion whereas Deputy Mayor, Mr Tikendar Panwar proposed vote of thanks.

Earlier, Chief Executive Officer, HIMURJA, Kanwar Bhanu Pratap Singh welcomed the Chief Minister and briefed about various schemes of the department and measures being initiated for achieving success by installing Solar Energy plants in Lahaul and Spiti district.

MPP and Power Minister Mr Sujan Singh Pathania was also present on the occasion amongst senior officers of MNRE, GoI and others.

Pratibha Singh urges to sanction funds for Photovoltaic Solar Power Plants

Member of Parliament Mrs Pratibha Singh called on Shri Farooq Abdullah Union Minister for New & Renewable Energy in New Delhi and requested him to sanction funds for Photovoltaic Solar Power Plants for the State Government Secretariat building, Shimla and famous Ridge Maidan to promote clean energy in the State Capital.

Mrs Pratibha Singh said that the State Government was focusing on Green Sources of energy and has sent proposals for meeting the power requirements from solar energy which is regarded as the most non-polluting source of energy.

Member of Parliament told that the State Government agency HIMURJA which is promoting the use of non-conventional energy has sent a proposal for installing 100 Kwp Photovoltaic Power Plant at the State Government Secretariat, Shimla and 20 Kwp capacity Photovoltaic Solar Plant for Ridge Maidan, Shimla. She told him that Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) of both of the solar plants have been sent to Ministry of New and Renewable Energy and requested him to sanction adequate funds for commissioning the plants.

Mrs Pratibha Singh said that 100 kilo watt solar plant would be directly connected to the main secretariat grid to provide its power needs from solar energy which would also help the Government to save electricity bill. She told that entire lighting system of Ridge Maidan would also be connected with solar plant. Once installed and proven efficient, the Government would explore possibilities of adding such more non-polluting plants at HIPA, Mashobra and Panchayat Bhawan Shimla for which DPRs of 100 kwp and 15kwp have already been prepared under Shimla Solar City Programme.

Mrs Pratibha Singh urged for sanction of funds for 150 kwp Solar Power Plant at Pin Valley Kaza and 500 kwp Solar Power Plant for REE village in Bilaspur. She demanded 2000 SPV Home Lighting System for slum areas in Shimla and 5000 SPV lanterns for beneficiaries in Shimla town.

She requested the Union Minister to sanction 20,000 SPV Lanterns and 20,000 SPV home lights for flood affected areas of Kinnaur on the pattern of Uttrakhand and told that electricity has not been restored completely in many villages due to recent flash floods and added that the areas experiences heavy snowfall in winters which leads to disruption in power supply time and again in entire area and requested to provide solar power systems to provide regular clean energy in entire tribal areas. She also demanded 5000 SPV Home Lighting System for remote and backward areas like Dodra Kwar where transmission lines were snapped in winters during heavy snow fall.

She told that HIMURJA has prepared a master plan for implementation of the Union Government-sponsored Solar City Project, for which the MNRE had selected the Shimla among 50 cities across the country. Under the project, the Union Government will provide 90% subsidy on renewable energy projects while 10% is to be borne by the concerned beneficiaries to reduce at least 10% of the projected demand of conventional energy through renewable energy. Through an awareness campaign, the project would promote solar devices such as photovoltaic systems, solar water heating, cooking, steam generating and air-conditioning systems, she added.