Tamil Nadu to add 3,000 Mw solar energy

The Tamil Nadu government has set a target to add 3,000 Megawatt (Mw)  solar energy as part of it solar mission programme by 2015-16. The state government is also planning to bring a new policy for solar energy.

This was disclosed by  Natham R Viswanathan, minister for electricity and prohibition and excise, during his address at Renergy 2012, an international conference organised by  the Tamil Nadu Energy Development Agency. This is more than 33 per cent of India's target.

The minister said the Centre's assistance for the state renewable energy sector was nil. “We need financial assistance to boost the renewable energy sector to address the power deficit.” TN, according to him, would become a power surplus state by 2015-16. The state facing a shortage of around 4,000 Mw at present.

The new solar policy will be introduced before or during the current Budget.

On the Centre’s allocation to the state under JNNRUM, he said, “We have received only 22 Mw out of 1,000 Mw under Phase I of the National Solar Mission. We request the Centre to recognise the potential of solar energy in Tamil Nadu and address this inequality.”

The state’s installed capacity of renewable energy is around 75,000 Mw, about 36 per cent of the total installed capacity.