Madhya Pradesh is in the leading position in solar energy generation in the country. The Rewa Solar Project is included among the world’s largest projects. The 750 MW Rewa Solar Project costing about Rs 4,000 crore has started production with full capacity. Besides, six projects of 5,000 MW are under construction.
Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Limited Company was formed as a joint venture company of Madhya Pradesh Energy Development Corporation in collaboration with Solar Energy Corporation of India for Rewa Solar Project.
This project was selected among the best projects for the Prime Minister's Award for Innovation at the state level. The minimum tariff of electricity produced in this project was Rs 2.97 per unit, which was one and a half to two rupee less, compared to the tariff of 4.5 to 5 units obtained from contemporary projects.
The Rewa Solar Project is set up on an area of 1590 hectares. It is one of the largest single side solar plants in the world. Seventy-six percent of the power generated from the project is being provided to the State’s Power Management Company and 24 percent to Delhi Metro. For the first time the project has provided electricity to Delhi Metro, a commercial institution outside the State, through open access. This is the country’s first project, which has obtained loan from the World Bank for internal grid arrangement. The World Bank loan has been given at low rates without the guarantee of the State Government and under Clean Technology Fund (CTF).
In terms of environmental protection, 15.7 lakh tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions are being prevented every year from the Rewa Solar Project, which is equivalent to planting 2.06 crore trees.
Rewa Solar Power Project will not only make the State self-reliant in the field of renewable energy but will also make Madhya Pradesh a leader in providing electricity to other States and commercial establishments.
Solar power projects of 5000 MW are under construction in Madhya Pradesh. RUMS, a company formed for the first Rewa solar project in the State, has started work on these projects that are to be set up in Agar, Shajapur, Neemuch, Chhatarpur, Omkareshwar and Morena.
Work for setting up of solar parks for generation of 550 MW power at Agar, 450 MW at Shajapur, 500 MW at Neemuch, 1500 MW at Chhatarpur, 600 MW at the Omkareshwar floating Omkareshwar dam site and 1400 MW at Morena is in progress.
Farmers are being encouraged to make maximum use of solar energy through solar pumps in the state. So far, solar pumps have been installed for 14250 farmers under the Mukhya Mantri Solar Pump Yojana. A target has been set to install 2 lakh solar pumps in the next three years.
So far, 30 MW solar roof top plants have been installed in the State. Solar roof tops of 50 MW capacity are proposed to be installed on 700 Government buildings of the State this year. The rate obtained from the electricity generated from solar roof top plants was Rs 1.38. The Government is making efforts to install roof top plants in every house so that electricity is available at low rates. Solar plants are being installed on Government buildings on models, in which the beneficiary does not have to pay any money to the department or institution. The plant developer will make low cost electricity available.
Solar energy is being promoted for the industrial development of the State. Work is being done on 32 MW solar roof top projects for 400 industrial units in Mandideep near Bhopal.
This will pace up development in the industrial sector by providing low cost electricity to the industries. Promotion of solar energy is the need of the hour. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has set a target of producing One lakh MW of renewable energy in the country.
