To give a boost to non-conventional energy resources, Haryana Government has identified about 2,000 acres of panchayat land in the State having potential of installation of Solar Power plants of 200 MW capacity. An official said that a feasibility study is also being carried out for the installation of solar power plants on canal tops and canal banks. A spokesman of the Renewable Energy Department said to generate solar power, 50 MW solar power projects would be installed in 2015-16. Apart from this, the department would also install 5 MW solar power plants which were sanctioned by Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) in 2014-15.
“HAREDA would promote setting up of institutional biogas plants in the goshalas and dairies where sufficient cow dung is available. The State Government is providing subsidy at the rate of 40 per cent of the plant cost fixed by the KVIC to the charitable institutions only but during the year 2015-16, State financial assistance would also be provided to the poultry forms and commercial or individual dairies,” the spokesman said.
He said a total state subsidy of Rs50 lakh would be provided in 2015-16 for setup of approximately 400 KW biogas based power generation. Biogas produced from cattle dung and poultry droppings could also be used for biogas bottling, he added. To reduce the dependence on conventional power on street lighting in urban and rural areas, SPV Street lighting systems are being promoted by HAREDA. The cost of one such system is approximately Rs16,000 and the State Government is providing subsidy of Rs4,000 per system. In 2015-16, 3,250 such systems would be installed for illumination in the community places in the villages, slums and SC habitats.
To encourage panchayat participation towards implementation of various types of renewable energy and rural energy programme and to involve them in implementation and monitoring of these programmes in their villages, the department is providing incentives to the gram panchayats in the form of district level and state level awards. In addition, to create awareness among the industrial, commercial, Government buildings and educational institutes about energy conservation and to recogniae the efforts of these institutions in conserving energy, energy conservation awards were being provided to the different categories.