Aditya Aluminium, a unit of the metal business of Aditya Birla Group has reportedly installed a 24-MW solar power plant at Lapanga in Sambalpur district.
According to NIE the solar power plant that spread across 144 acre of ash-filled land has been installed at an investment of `151 crore.
Power produced from the installed solar project will be utilised in aluminium smelting process. Inaugurated by the Chief Minister recently, the plant contributes to the State Government’s goal to generate 2,750 MW of renewable energy, including 2,200 MW solar power by 2022. “Smelters require a consistent load network and uninterrupted power supply.
The load requirement of Aditya Aluminium is also a whopping 658 MW. The green energy generated at the site, however, will act as an incentive for the firm,” said Kailash Pandey, unit head of Aditya Aluminium.
“Power fluctuations are very common in solar plants as power generation depends on daylight. Cloudy weather, rains may also cause huge power swings. Besides, load and generation management during grid islanding and blackout are other major challenges. We have taken measures to overcome these hurdles,” said Pandey.
Fluctuations in power generation are taken care of by the intelligent load shedding system known as Composite Islanding and Load Management System (CILMS). The solar power generation has enabled Aditya Aluminium and Hindalco to produce ‘greener’ aluminium which will lead to enhanced sustainability of the business, he added.