BENGALURU: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Wednesday said that the State Government is keen on expanding the solar power plant in Tumakuru district’s Pavagada and was looking for at least another 10,000 acres of land. He was speaking to media persons on the sidelines of his visit to Pavagada solar park. Energy Minister KJ George was also present. Shivakumar said that if farmers are willing to give up their land, it will not just help them but also the State Government in increasing solar power generation.
The Deputy Chief Minister said that when it was inaugurated, the solar park in Pavagada was Asia’s largest. “But it is not anymore... to make it Number 1 once again, it has to be expanded,” he added. On farmers suffering from health hazards owing to solar panels, Shivakumar said that it was a myth. Earlier in the day, the two ministers conducted an aerial survey of the solar park and then visited the stations to take stock of power generation.
On learning of transmission and distribution losses, George directed the officials to address the issue immediately. George added that the solar park has already made significant contributions to the country’s clean energy goals.
It has the capacity to generate 4.5 billion units of solar energy per annum and thereby helps in abating carbon dioxide emissions to the tune of 3.6 million tonnes per annum. The objective of the ministers’ visit was to engage in discussions with project stakeholders, including the park’s management team and engineers to gain insights into the innovative approaches employed in developing and operating the solar park.
The Pavagada solar park has been developed by Karnataka Solar Power Development Corporation Ltd in a joint venture with Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Ltd and Solar Energy Corporation of India Ltd.