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The Indian Government has announced that it will implement 15 000 MW of grid connected power projects through state-owned electricity company, National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC).
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NTPC’s Vidyut Yyapar Nigam (NVVN) will develop the projects over three phases and it is hoped that they will lead to tangible reductions in the burning of kerosene and diesel.
The cabinet press release stated: “Successful completion of [an] additional 15 000 MW capacity of grid-connected photovoltaic power generation projects, mainly in the private sector, with largely private sector investment, under the National Solar Mission would accelerate the process of achieving grid tariff parity for solar power.”
The rapidly falling cost of solar power has ignited interest in India’s solar potential, as it currently relies on coal for three-fifths of its energy needs whilst solar supplies less than 1 per cent.
Tranche-I, or the first phase of the project, will see the projects based on the bundling of solar power with unallocated thermal power. The bundled power generated through these projects will then be divided up among the states with solar farms.
This bundling scheme would have a capacity of 3000 MW, one third of which would be developed in the state of Andhra Pradesh.
The announcement itself fits into Prime Minister Modi’s bold renewable targets of turning the current 3000 MW of solar capacity to 100 000 MW by 2022.