The Rajasthan government aims to produce 30 gigawatt (Gw) of solar power by the end of FY25 to become self-reliant in the power and energy sector, an official said.
Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma’s objective is to enhance the state’s energy security by reducing dependency on imported fuels and supporting the vision of self-reliant India.
“The government and NLC India signed an agreement in March to form a joint venture for setting up a 1,000 megawatt (Mw) solar power plant and a 125 Mw lignite-based power plant in Bikaner, with an investment of over Rs 7,000 crore,” the official said.
Recently, the government approved land for four major solar projects to make the state a leader in energy self-sufficiency. The projects include three solar parks in Bikaner totaling 2,450 Mw and a 500 Mw project in Phalodi.
This would help transform the state into an energy powerhouse, attracting investments worth Rs 10,000 crore, and foster sustainable development, the official said.
Rajasthan is one of the leading states in the country in solar energy production, with an estimated output of 142 Gw.
Owing to the state’s rising electricity demand, which is increasing by 8-10 per cent every year, the government’s focus is to obtain 43 per cent of power consumption from solar energy by 2030. Last year, the state installed 15,195 Mw solar power plants.
The state is also strengthening the PM Kusum Solar pump plant, which will help install solar pumps in more than 50,000 farms and generate 200 Mw of electricity during the next couple of years.
“This will provide substantial financial support to farmers, particularly benefiting scheduled castes and tribes with additional financial standard operating procedure in the form of subsidies, besides other benefits,” he said.
The initiative also promotes renewable energy adoption and plays a major role in energising agriculture in the state through the rollout of solar pumps.
First Published: Jul 09 2024 | 5:04 PM IST
