NEW GLOBAL INDIAN
Em'power'ed by Sun
Saturday, 12 June 2010 00:00
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Satyavir Singh throws light on the world's biggest solar plant to be set up in Vadodara region.
When non-renewable sources will exhaust, the mankind will have to return to the primary source of earth's energy the Sun. With rising consumption of coal and petroleum products, the day seems to be inching closer everyday. Despite being aware about the imminent crisis, most of the nations and governments have turned deaf ear to the issue. But, as there are always exceptions, prudent leaders like the Gujarat CM Narendra Modi, have gauged the future earlier. And the recently-announced AREVA plant bears the testament of the Gujarat Government's prudence. AREVA is going to be the world's largest solar project, with power generation capacity of about 3000 M.W
In collaboration with Clinton Foundation, the government of Gujarat is setting up the plant in Vadodara region. The facility is expected to cost Rs 20,000 crore (about $475 million) and will produce raw materials and manufacture panels on site.
This is expected to reduce costs so that the power produced at the site will cost about Rs 4 ($0.10) per (unspecified) unit. In fact, even the cost of power generation could be 70 percent less than using conventional methods.
Chief Minister Narendra Modi, while dedicating the 765K.V. transformer to the nation at the site, said that the encouraging Solar Energy policies of Gujarat have attracted global investors. “Gujarat is on every investor's radar. It is all set to emerge as the Global Solar Energy Hub,” added he.
While projects like AREVA will curb the energy crisis in the state, it is expected that all the 18,000 villages across the state are getting un- interrupted quality electricity-supply. Spread across 500 hectares, the project will create 20,000 jobs in the region. Reiterating his commitment to inclusive and equitable growth, Modi outlined state's initiatives that are aimed to strike an ideal balance among agriculture, industry and service sector. “By every yardstick, the strides achieved by the state during the last decade are impressive ones,” Modi highlighted.
While criticizing Non-Proliferation Nuclear Treaty with America, Modi also drew attention to threats that a nuclear plant poses. He observed that any disaster in our nuclear Power Station may cause chaotic situation.
With the commitment of encouraging clean energy, Gujarat government has come up with flying colours. The state government has approved 34 solar power projects at an investment of Rs.12,000 crore (Rs.12 billion/$2.4 billion) over the next few years- to rank it the top Indian state in untilizing the renewable sources. With summing up all the ongoing and upcoming solar power projects, Gujarat is likely to generate 1,250 million units of eco-friendly energy every year. It can avoid the use of 875,000 tonnes of coal on an annual basis and 1.25 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emission.
There is no doubt that Modi has opened the floodgates for investment in the non-conventional sources of energy. The state government has given concessions for solar power generation. Many leading companies are eying at this prospect. Players like Tata, Azure and Moser Baer are all set to install solar projects in the state.
