NEW DELHI: An ambitious plan that aims at an installed capacity of 20,000 MW under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission by the end of the 13th Five Year Plan in 2022 was announced by Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah on Monday.
Abdullah said the mission will be implemented in three phases and the Government has approved the target to set up 1,100 MW grid connected solar plants and 200 MW capacity equivalent off-grid solar applications in the first phase till 2012-13.
The mission aims to develop solar technologies for making solar power competitive to conventional grid power and install 20 million square metre solar thermal collective area by 2022, Abdullah told Rajya Sabha.
The Union Cabinet has sanctioned Rs 4,337 crore towards Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission for the initial activities.
In the first phase, the Cabinet has approved setting up of 1,100 MW of grid solar power and 200 MW capacity of off-grid solar applications utilising both solar thermal and photovoltaic technologies.
The focal point, for the next 3 years, will be NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam (NVVN), which is the power trading arm of NTPC.
The Government will designate NVVN for the purchase of solar power generated by independent solar power producers, at rates fixed by the Central Regulatory Electricity Commission and for a period specified by the latter. The Centre will provide equivalent MW of power from the unallocated quota of NTPC for bundling with solar power.
