Uttar Pradesh government partners NTPC to float solar power plants

The state has already received new and renewable energy investment proposals of ~7 trillion, of which ~57,000 crore worth of projects came under the UP State Bio-Energy Policy 2022

Uttar Pradesh is planning to set up floating solar power plants in partnership with top energy players, including National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), to expand its renewable energy inventory.

 

The state is targeting 14,000 megawatt (Mw) solar power generation by 2027. 

“Plans are afoot to establish floating solar projects across seven reservoirs in partnership with NTPC, Tehri Hydro Development Corporation (THDC) and Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN),” a senior Uttar Pradesh government official said. 

The state has already received new and renewable energy investment proposals of Rs 7 trillion, of which Rs 57,000 crore worth of projects came under the UP State Bio-Energy Policy 2022. The Yogi Adityanath government is also mulling over large-scale solar energy projects, including solar parks with a combined capacity of 4,800 MW, with the tendering process underway. 

 

“We are not only aiming to achieve 100 per cent power availability, but also to harness green and renewable energy as a solid foundation for our target of making the state a trillion dollar economy,” he noted. 

To make UP self-sufficient in energy production within three years, the state has set a target to connect 2.5 million households to solar energy under the ‘PM Surya Ghar Yojana’. So far, 48,000 houses have been equipped with solar panels with another 30,000 expected to be covered by the end of the current financial year 2024-25. 

Similarly, the ‘PM-KUSUM Yojana’ which aims to generate 2,000 MW of solar energy by 2027 through the installation of solar panels on vacant rural land will enhance sustainable energy production across the state while providing additional farm income. 

Moreover, it has set ambitious targets to expand compressed biogas (CBG) capacity to 1,000 tonnes per day (TPD), bio-coal to 4,000 TPD, and bio-diesel to 2,000 KLPD (kilo litres per day) to achieve bio-energy self-sufficiency. The state is providing incentives to woo private players in this domain. Currently, CBG plants of 210 TPD capacity are operational in UP, while more projects are in the pipeline. 

“The government has drafted a blueprint for enhancing power infrastructure over the next decade to cater to future demand. This includes installing modern power plants and upgrading existing ones to ensure uninterrupted energy supply for industrial growth,” the official said. UP is upbeat on the prospects of solar, bioenergy, and hydro power projects to feed the state’s growing energy needs.