Solar energy generation capacity touches 16,000 Mw in Rajasthan

Rajasthan has become one of the top states in the country in solar power generation.

“The Rajasthan government has taken steps to promote solar energy and set up solar plants, and as a result today the solar energy generation capacity has touched 16,060 Mw,” said a senior state government official.

The state government launched the Solar Energy Policy 2019 to make Rajasthan a leading state in the field of “Green Energy-Clean Energy”.

A solar energy capacity of 30 Gw has been targeted by 2024-25.

Energy Minister Bhanwar Singh Bhati said Rajasthan had become a model state in the field of solar energy.

Besides solar energy, power generation through wind energy is 4,576 Mw, through biomass energy 125 Mw, and through small hydro energy 24 Mw.

The world’s biggest solar park of 2,245 Mw is in Jodhpur.

There is a 925-Mw park and a 750-Mw park in Jaisalmer district.

The minister said Rajasthan had top position in the country in the Pradhan Mantri KUSUM Yojana. PM-KUSUM (Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan) is aimed at energy security for farmers, along with honouring India’s commitment to increase the share of the installed capacity of electric power from non-fossil fuel sources to 40 per cent by 2030 as part of Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs).

The first solar plant in the country under this scheme was set up on 3.50 acres Jaipur district at Rs 3.70 crore. Till now, 45 solar plants have been set up under scheme-I of the KUSUM Yojana in the state and currently, 60.5 MW is being generated from them.