The renewable energy sector in Orissa is likely to get a boost with many private entrepreneurs showing interest to set up solar power units in the state.
The state level technical committee (STC), headed by the secretary, science and technology (S&T) department of the Orissa government, has cleared three solar power projects with an aggregate generating capacity of 19 Mw. This will take the total solar power capacity in the state to 54 Mw.
STC had earlier approved proposals with an aggregate production capacity of 35 Mw. The proposals include 5 Mw power plant of RSB Energy Pvt Ltd in Sundergarh district and Enzen Global Solutions’s 5 Mw solar power plant in Khurda district.
Similarly, Lanco Solar’s 5 Mw solar plant in Cuttack district, Sunark Solar’s 5 Mw power plant in Puri district and Kolkata based SREI Infrastructure’s 5 Mw solar power plant in Bolangir district were given the green signal.
The state government had approved Moserbaer Pvt Ltd’s 5 Mw grid interactive solar photo voltaic project and Sahara India’s 5 Mw solar power plant in the state in the first phase.
The STC had also approved eight bio-mass based power projects earlier. It has recently cleared two more bio-mass projects with a combined generation capacity of 39 Mw. This will take the envisaged capacity in the bio-mass sector to 129 Mw.
The state government hopes to get 20 Mw of power from the first bio-mass based power plant in the state by June-July next year. The power is likely to be available from a rice husk based power plant being set up by Shali Vahana Green Energy Ltd at Nimidha village in Dhenkanal district.
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The five bio-mass based power project developers, who have deposited the security money aggregating Rs 2.75 crore, are likely to sign the implementation agreement with the Orissa Renewable Energy Development Agency (OREDA) soon.
They are Satya Bio-Power Industry Ltd planning to set up a 10 Mw plant in Ganjam, A V N Power Projects setting up a 10 Mw power plant in Kalahandi district and Prasad Bio-Energy planning a 10 Mw unit in Raygada. While Jay Laxmi Bio-Energy Ltd intends to set up a 10 Mw unit in Nayagarh, another plant of similar capacity is proposed by Andhavarapu Bio-Energy in Nawarangpur.
On the other hand, the department of bio-technology (DoBT) of the Union ministry of science and technology, has sanctioned Rs 10 crore in the first phase for the development of an incubator in the proposed bio-tech and pharma park at Andharua, sources added.