Solar Energy Hub in Uttar Pradesh | 05 Jan 2024

Why in News?

According to the Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Development Agency (UPNEDA), 125 projects with an estimated outlay of Rs 1 lakh crore in pipeline in the field of clean energy in Uttar Pradesh.

• These projects are in line to achieve Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s vision of meeting 40% of the energy requirement of the State through solar and alternate sources.

Key Points

• In the first phases, four large solar projects worth Rs 35000 crore will be set up in different districts of Bundelkhand and Eastern Uttar Pradesh.
• The state government had received investment proposals to the tune of Rs 40 lakh crore at the Global Investors Summit (GIS) held in 2023.
• Solar power and other clean energy projects under the ‘Akshay Urja’ Scheme accounted for a significant share of the total investment.
• The State currently generates close to 2152 MW of solar energy, out of which 372 MW is in open access.
  • Bundelkhand region has witnessed the maximum number of solar plants amounting to nearly 60% of the total solar energy generated in the State.
• The State’s solar energy generation, which stood at close to 279 MW in 2017, has witnessed a multi fold rise over the last six years which includes incentives, rebates, concessions and promotions offered under the new Solar Policy of the state government.
• Under the current investment pipeline, Sonbhadra in Eastern Uttar Pradesh will witness the setting up of an off-stream close loop pump storage project by Greenko Group generating 3660 MW of electricity at an estimated outlay of Rs 17,000 crore.
• The Uttar Pradesh government is set to establish a 50 MW floating solar plant in Bakhira Bird Sanctuary in Eastern UP.
• Under the Solar City program, a 40 MW solar power plant is being established on 165 acres of land in Ayodhya by NTPC. Part of the project has already commenced and the remaining is expected to be operational by March 2024.