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Having failed to meet solar renewable purchase obligation(RPO) in 2012-13, Punjab would again miss its solar obligation for 2013-14, despite handing over letters of intent to 26 developers for 250 Mw solar power projects in July. According to experts and state government functionaries, these projects would be commissioned in the financial year 2014-15.
Currently, the total installed capacity in the state is 10.5 Mw of solar photovoltaic power. According to data, the capacity required for the state to meet its solar obligation was 72 Mw in 2012-13, while for the current financial year, it is 167 Mw.
According to the solar RPO, targets define how much electricity in the country is estimated to be produced from renewable energy sources. The RPO policy, devised under the National Action Plan on Climate Change, targets to produce green electricity.
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Speaking to Business Standard, sources said, " The private players, who were awarded letter of intent in July this year for developing 250 Mw of solar power, are yet to sign power purchase agreement. They would probably sign it in September or October. Further, the players would take another 13-15 months for completion of the project after signing, hence the project would see the light of the day in November or December 2014. The current trend indicates that the state would miss the current fiscal target of adding an overall solar capacity of 167 Mw."
The director of the Punjab Energy Developing Agency(PEDA) also confirmed that the project would be commissioned by December next year. PEDA is a nodal agency for promotion and development of renewable energy programmes and projects in the state. It is pertinent to note here that besides Gujarat and Rajasthan, none of the states have met the solar purchase obligation.
The state in July had allotted letter of awards to 26 developers for 250 Mw solar projects with a joint investment of Rs 2,500-3,000 crore. In Punjab, the solar power projects have been awarded in two categories, one of 1-4 Mw and the other of 5-30 Mw. In the first category, 18 companies were awarded power projects to the tune of 50 Mw while in the other one, 11 renowned companies had been awarded projects of 200 Mw solar power.
Among the major companies awarded these projects were Lanco Solar Energy, Punj Lloyd Infrastructure, Moser Baer Clean Energy, Essel Infra Projects, Asopus Infrastructure (India Bulls), Welspun Solar Punjab and Azure Urja.
Overall, Punjab has set a target to generate at least 1,000 Mw power from renewable enerygy resources like solar, biomass, co-generation, mini-hydel and solar roof tops in the next four years. Till date the state has harnessed 569 Mw in the renewable energy sector, of which 134 Mw is in small / mini hydel, 62.5Mw is in biomass power, 362 Mw is in co-generation and 10.5 Mw is in solar photovoltaic power sectors.
