Monday 13 February 2012 Government 2.0: The Road Ahead
Punjab to set up 36 biomass power plants

The Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA) plans to generate about 350 MW energy from these plants by 2012

Chandigarh: In the next two years, the Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA) would establish as many as 36 biomass power plants across Punjab, which would generate 350 MW.

According to PEDA Chairman Manjit Singh Punjab has substantial availability of biomass or agricultural waste, which is sufficient to produce about 1,000 MW of electricity.

 Biomass, which includes agricultural crop residue, animal, agri-industrial and forest wastes, holds a great potential as these renewable energy sources can fulfill 20 per cent of the state’s energy demand, he added.

“The PEDA has planned to promote and install biomass-based projects in tehsils which holds potential to generate power. The PEDA has so far identified and allocated 30 tehsils for setting up of a total 332.5 MW capacity projects under the three phases.

A few biomass plants have already been installed at Awan, Phullokhera and Channo Pind villages in this direction,” Singh informed.

“We have been entrusted the task of installing solar energy power plants in Parliament, Punjab Assembly, Harminder Sahib, Durgiana Temple and Wagah border in Amirtsar. We have already received more than 10, 000 applications for installation of solar inverters with a capacity of 600 Watts to 2500 Watts,” Singh added.

To make solar power popular in the state, the PEDA has decided to offer a huge subsidy on inverters. “Charging a 2500 Watt inverter with solar power cost around Rs 2 lakh, but the agency would offer it to consumers at a subsided rate of Rs 1.25 lakh,” the Chairman said.

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