State mulls digital platform to expedite solar power projects

Kolkata: The West Bengal government is planning to introduce a digital system to speed up the planning and estimation of solar power projects across the state, sources said.

The project will be executed by the West Bengal Renewable Energy Development Agency, sources said. The move is aimed at reducing delays caused by lengthy site inspections and paperwork, and enabling quicker decision-making on solar proposals received from government departments, urban local bodies and other institutions.

Engineers currently conduct time-consuming physical site inspections before preparing reports. The proposed digital system will enable preliminary solar project estimates using basic site data like location, building type and power consumption.

“The objective is to shorten the time taken to assess solar projects without compromising on accuracy,” an official said, adding: “This will help the state respond faster to requests and move projects forward without unnecessary delay.”

Sources said the system will support planning for both rooftop and ground-based solar installations. It will generate structured project reports that can be used for further approvals and execution.

The digital platform will also enable officials to monitor solar proposals centrally, giving the state an overall view of projects under consideration in different zones. This is expected to improve coordination and reduce duplication of work.

The system is designed to be simple to use so that engineers can complete initial project assessments within a much shorter time frame. “The focus is on ease of use and faster turnaround, not on complex technical processes,” the official added.

Sources said the platform will initially be used by select renewable energy officials, with scope for wider adoption as the system stabilises.

The government also plans to ensure that the system follows national data security norms and is hosted on an approved cloud infrastructure, sources said.

Officials said the initiative is expected to remove procedural bottlenecks at the planning stage and support the state’s long-term goal of increasing the share of clean and renewable energy.