Punjab is reportedly foraying into tapping a cost-effective source of power — wind energy. The state has signed an agreement with the Solar Energy Corporation of India to purchase 450 million units of power per year.PSPCL Chairman and Managing Director A Venu Prasad said,
“The state will get wind power at Rs2.72 per kilowatt hour. The agreement will be valid for 25 years. Power from these projects is expected to be available in 2019-20.”
Recently the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has announced auction of up to 21 GW solar and wind capacities by March 2018.
The ministry will put on the block 3-4 GW wind power capacities during third and fourth rounds by March 2018. Each round will be of 1.5-2 GW each, said Power and New and Renewable Energy Minister R K Singh during a media interaction here today.
The government has already auctioned 2 GW wind capacities so for in first and second rounds this year. It has also decided to put for bidding 10 GW wind capacities each in 2018 -19 and 2019-20 to meet the target of 60 GW by 2022. At present, wind power installed capacity is 32 GW.
WIth Input from TNS