Considering the state’s potential for tapping renewable energy sources, the central government has assured the state government that it will encourage clean and green power sources like wind and sun.
While reviewing the progress of renewable energy in the state with energy special chief secretary M Sahoo and other officials at a high-level meeting held at the State Secretariat here on Friday, Union ministry of natural resources and energy (MNRE) secretary Ratan P Watal said special programmes would be conducted to encourage generation of renewable energy. Watal, along with joint secretary in MNRE Tarun Kapur, reviewed the renewable energy programmes being implemented in the state.
About the state’s request for a matching grant-in-aid for setting up plants in Kurnool, Kadapa, Anantapur and Ranga Reddy districts for production of 3,150 MW of wind power, Watal promised that all possible necessary help would be extended to the state after consultations with the central planning department.
Energy officials said that about 1,000 MW of wind power was expected to be available by 2013-14 and the state government was planning to add around 6,900 MW of non-conventional energy (NCE) during the 12th Plan period. Of that, 5,000 MW will be wind power and about 1,200 MW solar power.
Sahoo said the state was committed to encouraging renewable energy. After the announcement of the ‘Roof-top Solar Power Policy’, a lot of consumers have been showing interest and the availability of relevant metering systems were required to tap more solar power under this policy.
Responding to this, Tarun Kapoor assured that metering of the latest technology, meeting all the requirements of the policy, would be made available to Andhra Pradesh soon.
According to a study, the estimated gross potentiality of wind power generation in the state was 14,497 MW. The installed capacity of wind power projects at present is just 564.09 MW and feasibility clearance on the existing network was issued for production of 1,098 MW of power though the feasibility was for about 1,970 MW.
The state is blessed with more than 300 sunny days and an estimated solar potential of 5-7kwh/sq. mtr per day. The state has already come out with ‘Solar Power Policy’ to tap the solar power potential to the fullest extent possible.
At present, the installed capacity of solar power projects is 61.24 MW. In the recently concluded bidding for 1,000 MW of solar power, Discoms have entered into power purchase agreements (PPAs) with solar power developers for 147 MW and issued letters of intent (LoIs) for another 142 MW.
As per the ‘Solar Power Policy for Industry’, wherein industries can generate solar power either for captive use or for sale to a third party, certain clarifications are awaited from the AP Electricity Regulatory Commission concerning 1,483 MW of solar power separately.