The state power department has already taken up a volley of projects to use non-conventional energy sources, and hence solar power panels will be installed at different structures. Once the solar panels are installed on office buildings, they will help in producing energy which will be used for various purposes.
The work will be done in three phases. Energy that will be produced through the solar panels will be used in the pumped-storage hydroelectricity projects at Ajodhya hills as well. Around 1000 schools across the state will be covered under this project for which the state government will spend Rs 43 crore in the current financial year.
Solar panels are being set up at various places already. In fact, in some districts, energy is being generated through solar panels. In a major development, the canal bank solar photo voltaic (PV) project of 10 MW has come up at Haptiagachh in Uttar Dinajpur at the cost of Rs 65.88 crore. The project has been constructed by the state owned West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (WBSEDCL).
According to senior officials of the state power department, West Bengal is a pioneer in setting up canal bank solar PV projects in the country. Three more solar PV projects, with a capacity of 10 MW each, will come up at Santaldih and Chhara in Purulia, and Mejia in Bankura.
WBSEDCL has also taken up an elaborate scheme to set up 500 MW ultra mega solar parks in the districts of East Midnapore, West Midnapore and Bankura. A number of solar PV plants have been set up in hundreds of schools in various districts in the initial stage.
To raise awareness about the importance of solar energy, WBSEDCL – in coordination with West Bengal Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation (HIDCO) – is setting up a 120 feet tall solar dome at Eco Park in Rajarhat. It may be mentioned that after coming to power, the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government had laid great emphasis in the power sector.
Major developments have taken place to use renewable energy in the state. Sectors like hydro power, solar power and thermal power have got a major boost and the power generation has considerably gone up.
In the rural electrification domain, West Bengal has performed exceedingly well, with almost all the villages have been brought under the coverage of electricity.