BIZ-GJ-RENEWABLES

Gujarat, which already leads

the green energy segment,is eyeing a whopping Rs 2.20 trillion

investments into the renewable energy sector over the next

decade, state energy minister Saurabh Patel said Thursday.

While an investment of Rs 1 trillion is expected in

the next three years in solar and wind power generation

projects, another Rs 1.20 trillion can be invested by private

players in hybrid parks, where both wind and solar projects

can come up at the same location, he said, adding this

investment can generate 30,000 mw of green energy by 2029.

Under a three-year plan for the renewable energy

sector, the state intends to generate 10,000 mw of solar and

5,000 mw of wind energy, Patel told reporters here.

Some of the major projects envisaged for the next

three years include a 5,000-mw solar park at Dholera and a

1,000-mw wind energy project near the Pipavav port, where

windmills will be installed in the sea near the port.

"We are eyeing an investment of Rs 1 trillion over the

next three years in these projects. At present, renewable

energy production in the state stands at 7,645 mw, which is 28

percent of the total generation in the state" said Patel.

He also said by 2022, the state plans to produce

22,922 mw electricity of solar and wind power, which will be

around 54 percent of the total power production in the state.

"In the long-run, our push will be on renewable energy

and not conventional sources," he added.

To attract new players into this sector, Patel said

the wastelands located near 66-kv substations all over the

state will be allotted for solar plants.

"We've already identified 50 such sub-stations, which

have surplus land. As per our estimate, 3,000 mw of solar

power can be generated from these land parcels," said Patel.

Under the recently launched Wind-solar hybrid power

policy--2018, which aims to make the optimum utilization of

the land and grid, the state aims to generate 30,000 mw at an

investment of Rs 1.20 trillion over the next 10 years,he said.

The policy allows a solar project developer to use the

same land for setting up wind power projects and vice versa.

"We'll give land to the developer on 40-year lease.

Our aim is to generate 30,000 mw in the next 10 years. This

will attract an investment of Rs 1.20 trillion. We will only

provide the land on rent while money will from private

players" he added.