Uttar Pradesh to soon emerge as the Solar Energy Hub of India: UPNEDA

Uttar Pradesh: With close to 125 projects at an estimated outlay of Rs 1 lakh crore in pipeline in the field of clean energy, Uttar Pradesh is well in line to achieve Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s vision of meeting 40 per cent of the energy requirement of the State through solar and alternate sources. Of these, four large solar projects worth Rs 35000 crore will be set up in different districts of Bundelkhand and Eastern Uttar Pradesh in the first phases, stated Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Development Agency.

“The state government had received investment proposals to the tune of Rs 40 lakh crore at the Global Investor Summit (GIS) held in 2023 and solar power and other clean energy projects under the ‘Akshay Urja’ Scheme accounted for a significant share of the total investment,” said Anupam Shukla (IAS), Director, UPNEDA, Government of Uttar Pradesh, “The State currently generates close to 2152 MW of solar energy, out of which 372 MW is in open access. Bundelkhand region has witnessed the maximum number of solar plants amounting to nearly 60 per cent of the total solar energy generated in the State.”The State’s solar energy generation, which stood at close to 279 MW in 2017, has witnessed a multi fold rise over the last six years backed by a slew of incentives, rebates, concessions and promotions offered under the new Solar Policy of the state government.

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Giving more insights, Mr. Shukla said, “Under the current investment pipeline, Sonbhadra in Eastern Uttar Pradesh will witness the setting up of an off-stream close loop pump storage project by Greenko Group generating 3660 MW of electricity at an estimated outlay of Rs 17,000 crore. A 1000 MW floating solar plant on Matatila Dam in the Lalitpur district to be set up by TUSCO Ltd is likely to come up at an estimated investment of Rs 6500 crore; Bundelkhand Solar Energy Limited will set up a 1200 MW Solar Power Park in the Jalaun district while ACMI Cleantech Solution Private Limited will set up two off-stream closed loop pump in Prayagraj and Meerganj area.”

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The Uttar Pradesh government is set to establish a 50 MW floating solar plant in Bhakhira Bird Sanctuary in Eastern UP. The State District Administration and Uttar Pradesh New & Renewable Energy Development Agency (UPNEDA) is looking to set up a ground mounted or a floating solar plant in Bakhira lake area and the Lucknow Solar Power Development Corporation Limited (LSPDCL) will be conducting a feasibility study on the same.

“The state government is also looking to energise all the 1994 odd cold storages with a total storage capacity of 1.65 crore metric tonnes, with solar energy. Under the Solar City program, a 40 MW solar power plant is being established on 165 acres of land in Ayodhya by NTPC. The land has been identified, and the project is underway. Part of the project has already commenced and the remaining is expected to be operational by March 2024,” the UPNEDA Director added.

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