Dehradun: Foundation stone of the resolution to make Uttarakhand a green state will be laid in the first fortnight of the first month of the new year. The state government will move ahead with the target of producing 4000 MW solar power by the year 2027.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami will launch the new solar energy policy on Uttarayani, the festival of sun worship on January 14. It is a matter of relief for the solar power producers that it will be compulsorily purchased by the Energy Corporation. This revised policy will be placed in the upcoming cabinet.
This policy will be implemented on the occasion of Uttarayani festival
Uttarakhand government is going to take a bold decision of massive expansion of solar energy after environmental restrictions hit the hopes of becoming an energy state with the help of hydropower projects.
Uttarakhand will move fast on the path of becoming a green energy state through environment-friendly solar energy. The new energy policy is being finalized with special preparations on the instructions of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. This policy will be implemented on the occasion of Uttarayani festival.
New policy will be implemented in three phases. In the first phase, on the occasion of completion of 25 years of Uttarakhand state i.e. 2000 MW by the year 2025 and completion of five years of the government i.e. by the year 2027, preparations are on to set a target of 4000 MW solar power production.
By the year 2070, preparations are on to move forward in the direction of producing 10 to 20 thousand MW solar energy. The Dhami government is expanding the scope of the solar energy policy. Currently, solar energy is being encouraged in the hilly areas. Now green energy will be expanded in the plains also.
On the instructions of Chief Minister Dhami, opinion polling was done on a large scale to prepare the draft of the new solar energy policy. The suggestions received from various sections including common people, farmers, entrepreneurs were sent to the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) by the Department of Energy. This draft has been prepared by CEEW.
This expert body has also included these suggestions in the draft. A target has been given to generate 200 MW energy through the domestic sector, government office buildings and industries. For agriculture sector this target can be 800 MW. Energy Secretary R. Meenakshi Sundaram said that on the instructions of the Chief Minister, the new solar energy policy has been prepared in such a way that future energy needs can also be met.
Government will move forward on the goal of making Uttarakhand a green state. In the coming years, efforts will be made to meet the energy requirement of all sectors including domestic, industrial, agriculture through solar energy. New momentum will be given to solar energy on Uttarayani festival. The state will get many benefits from environment-friendly energy production.
