Only 521.69 MW of Renewable Energy Capacity Installed in Odisha

The coastal state of Odisha has a total of 521.69 MW of renewable energy capacity installed in the state as on February 29, 2020.

According to data provided by the Minister of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) the coastal state of Odisha has a total of 521.69 MW of renewable energy capacity installed in the state as on February 29, 2020.

As per the data, the capacity is divided between solar energy, small hydropower plants and biopower. Solar with 397.84 installed capacity accounted for more than 3/4th of the entire renewable energy capacity in the state. Behind solar was small hydropower with 64.635 MW of installed capacity and biopower with 59.22 MW of installed capacity.

As per the Green Energy Development Corporation of Odisha Limited (GEDCOL), the Government of Odisha has proposed the following renewable energy projects:-

1. Development of 275 MW Solar Park in Sambalpur & Boudh districts through GEDCOL.
2. Setting up of 19 MW of grid-connected rooftop solar projects on Government buildings in 17 cities of Odisha through GEDCOL.
3. Setting up an 8 MW ground-mounted solar project on surplus lands available in Baripada, Jayanagar & New Bolangir EHV sub-stations of OPTCL and Mukhiguda & Manmunda powerhouse of OHPC & GEDCOL.
4. Development of cumulative capacity of 75 MW through ground-mounted solar projects at Boudh, Bargarh & Bolangir (each 25 MW capacity).
5. Development of small hydro-electric projects at Kanpur (4.2 MW), Jambhira (3 MW) & Mandira (10 MW) in Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj & Sundargarh districts respectively.
6. Development of a cumulative capacity of around 500 MW of floating solar power plants on various reservoirs in the state in collaboration with NHPC.

In another response to a question raised in the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy RK Singh has informed that the MNRE had given “in-principle approval‟ for developing Kakinada and Narsapur towns as solar cities under the scheme “Development of Solar Cities”. And that no project/activities were undertaken by the Municipalities of Kakinada and Narsapur before the closing date of the scheme i.e., March 31, 2017.

Answering another question, the minister said that MNRE had given approval for developing Vijayawada as a pilot solar city in 2011 under the scheme “Development of Solar Cities”. Under this, 5 number of solar PV projects of 100 kWp capacity each have been installed at 5 different locations of Vijayawada Municipal Corporation.