BANGALORE: Stating that Karnataka cannot afford to sit on its previous laurels on innovations in the Renewable Energy Sector, Additional Chief Secretary (Energy), Shamim Banu said that the developers in the state along with Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Limited (KREDL) and the World Institute of Sustainable Energy (WISE) needs to speed up the process of Renewable Energy capacity addition in the state.She was addressing the inaugural session of a one-day conference on Renewable Energy for Karnataka’s security, organised by WISE in the city on Tuesday.
Studies by WISE suggest that the state has a renewable energy potential of 24GW out of which only 3.45 GW has been tapped so far. The major potential is in the wind energy sector which according to WISE has a potential of 11GW.
In a paper presentation on challenges in the sector, Surendra Pimparkhedkar, WISE, stated that challenges lay in refining the land acquisition process which at the moment has to go through the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB). “Also a dual lease agreement in which rent is collected by the Government of India as well as the state Forest Department is a problem for Wind Energy Generators,” he said. Total addition to the Renewable Energy(RE) sector will be 550 MW of which 450MW has already been added. Banu stated that the total is broken up into 150MW wind energy projects, 130MW Cogeneration projects and the remaining capacity addition is through mini hydel projects. “Around 250 Pico Hydro projects have been sanctioned,” said N Prasannakumar, MD, KREDL.
Solar Cities to see `100 cr investments
The Solar Cities of Mysore and Hubli will see an investment of `100 crore a year for the next 5 years according to N Prasannakumar, MD, KREDL. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a renewable energy conference in the city on Tuesday, Prasannakumar said, “We will be preparing a detailed action plan in the next 15 days which will list year wise investment.” The `100 crore will consist of the state government investment along with subsidies and investment by municipal corporations. The solar project is expected to last for five years.