The Green Energy Development Corporation ltd (GEDCOl) and the Central Electricity Supply Utility (Cesu) on Saturday signed a 25-year project implementation agreement (PIA) with the Azure Power Mercury Private limited to develop the country’s first grid connected MW scale roof-top solar project on net metering basis.
This project, with a minimum capacity of 4 MW, will be set up across more than 100 Government buildings in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack.
The project will mobilize around Rs 35 crore of private investment, and will be implemented by availing Central financial assistance through MNRE. The International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the European Union will extend assistance to this impactful programme.
“This project marks an important milestone in the development of roof-top solar programme in Odisha. Since 2013, we have worked intensively with IFC to develop the enabling framework and regulations, to bring all stakeholders together and to design this project,” said Energy Secretary Rajesh Verma.
Dr Johann Hesse, Counsellor, Head of Cooperation, Delegation of the European Union to India and Bhutan said “The renewable energy sector offers excellent opportunities for cooperation between the European Union and India, in terms of policy, technology and research.”
In November 2014, the IFC launched a whitepaper on solar rooftops highlighting how developing countries can help meet growing energy demands with environmentally-friendly, grid-connected, rooftop solar photovoltaic technologies. The model would be replicated in cities like Brahmapur, Chhatarpur, Rourkela, Sambalpur, Hirakud and Burla in the next phase.
