With the need of renewable energy assuming significance in wake of low supply of electricity, the State Government has decided to generate 2,850 mega watt of renewable energy in next seven years.
The Government is now working to adopt a new Odisha Renewable Energy Policy 2015-22 to propel growth of various renewable energy generations in a big way, sources said.
Generation of thermal power by burning coals has been proved to be a big problem in the State as it causes environmental pollution and climate change. Climate change is quite visible in Odisha as the State is facing natural calamities almost every year since 1999.
After the Super Cyclone, Phailin and Hud Hud cyclones have ravaged infrastructure, livestock and livelihood of people in many coastal parts of the State. So developing alternate power generation is imperative.
The proposed Renewable Energy Policy would provide incentives to the promoters in form of State subsidy and low interest loans for setting up renewable energy units.
Out of 2,850 MW of renewable energy, 2,150 MW would be of solar energy, 350 MW of wind energy, 150 MW of small hydropower, and 180 MW would be generated from biomass and 20 MW from municipal waste.
Odisha has huge potential for solar power as the State is receiving 300 clear sunny days in an year and according to National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE) survey, the State has potential of 25,780 MW solar power.
nistry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has set a target to generate 1 lakh MW of solar power by 2020 and Odisha wants to take advantage of it, said sources in the Energy Department.
Earlier, the State Government was mulling for a new Solar Energy Policy but has now decided to change it to Renewable Energy Policy in order to place a comprehensive policy on green energy, officials said.
Recently, a 30 MW solar plant promoted by the ACME Solar has been charged to the Grid. Another 20-MW plant is coming up in Boudh district and more solar plants would come up with the new policy support, said officials.