Punjab Canal Solar Power Projects Have 1,500 MW Potential: Minister

The minister claimed that the canal-top solar photovoltaic projects have been designed in such a fashion that the canal banks are not touched for the safety of the canal and inhabitants in the vicinity of the canals.

Punjab Power and Renewable Minister Gurpreet Singh Kanger stated that the state has a potential of more than 1,500 MW for installation of solar power projects on its main canals.

“Till date only 20 MW capacity pilot-cum-demonstration project for development of grid-connected solar photovoltaic power plants on canal tops has been allotted to Punjab,” the Minister said. He further added that the Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA) has commissioned the entire 20 MW capacity projects.

Out of these, two projects of 7.50 MW each had been commissioned on the Ghaggar branch canal and the Ghaggar link canal in March 2018 and two of 2.50 MW each was commissioned on Sidhwan branch canal and Ghaggar branch canal respectively, in March last year.

The minister claimed that the canal-top solar photovoltaic projects have been designed in such a fashion that the canal banks are not touched for the safety of the canal and inhabitants in the vicinity of the canals.

This saves about 100-acre land and reduces the CO2 emission of 7,500 tonnes per annum which would otherwise have occurred to generate energy to an equivalent amount by non-renewable resources, added Kangar.