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| Solar power subsidy enthusing investors |
| BS Reporter / Chennai/ Mysore Sep 14, 2009, 21:42 IST |
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The proposal of the Centre to give subsidy for solar power projects has generated immense interest among investors, Divecha Centre for Climate Change chairman J Srinivasan said in Mysore on Saturday. Under its national solar mission, the government has initiated solar power projects up to a maximum capacity of 50 MW supported by financial incentives of a maximum of Rs 12 per kWh for photo voltaic and Rs 10 per kWh for solar thermal power projects for a period of 10 years for achieving 10 per cent of the country’s total electricity requirement by adding 20,000 MW of solar power by 2020.
Srinivasan expressed hope that the proposed solar mission project, one among the steps initiated against the threat of climate change by the government, would come through, unlike the past few projects. As the cost of solar power would be high at Rs 20 crore per megawatt, involvement of private parties was required, he said participating in a technical seminar on “Engineering solutions to combat climate change”.
It was organised by the Institution of Engineers, Mysore Local Centre, on the 42nd Engineers’ Day and 148th birth anniversary of Sir M Visvesvaraya.
Expressing his skeptic view on harnessing wind power continuously, Srinivasan, who heads the Centre established by the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, for identifying technologies that will help to mitigate climate change, said its fluctuating power generation and matching it rightly with the grid was a challenge.
Also observing that Honge and other varieties may not be effective alternatives for bio-fuel, he favoured algae-based bio-fuel for transport. “Algae could be cultivated in the sea, as we have a good coastline,” he said.
Prohibitive cost though was a deterrent for large scale adoption of solar energy, increasing demand for solar cells was bringing rapid fall in its prices. With about 60 per cent fall, the cost may become comparable with oil or coal over a period. Flexible and low-cost nano-solar panels would revolutionise solar power.
Srinivasan and Karnataka State Pollution Control Board former chairman B Shivalingaiah called upon the engineers to develop innovative technologies for harnessing low-cost alternative power.
“Karnataka is blessed with active wind and hydro potential. We should exploit these to the maximum,” he said and added, while its wind potential was 7500 MW, the state was tapping 987 MW only. The total energy harnessed from renewable energy sources was 1787 MW, while the total potential was 11,150 MW.
Noting that energy-guzzling old style bulbs are being used for the ongoing large scale illumination for Dasara in Mysore, he observed a lot of energy could have been saved by going in for energy efficient compact fluorescent lights.
(CFLs) adding on to the aesthetic value. Engineers should look at such kind of alternatives, Shivalingaiah added.
Institute chairman C N Babu said the Centre had opened a separate division on global warming study and solutions.
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