Odisha: 1,415 acres of suitable land identified for 400 MW solar park

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) had approved the project to develop a solar power park of 1 GW under the scheme of MNRE. Where 4000 acres of land had been identified at Balasore bhograi, located in Balasore district and Bhanga is located in Joda Tehsil of Kendujhar district in Odisha. However, the state government modified its project design and sought approval from MNRE for truncated development of 400 MW of solar park, reports the Business Standard.

Now, with the ministry approving the preliminary detailed project report (DPR) seeking phase implementation of solar park, the Odisha government has started the search of land and has identified. The land identified are in Sambalpur and Boudh district.

For 600 MW remaining balance solar capacity, the land identified are in Jharsguda and Deogarh district. This is unsuitable due to local resistance.

The land identified will be handed over to the Green Energy Development Corporation (GEDCOL), the nodal agency of solar projects in Odisha and subsidiary of state owned Odisha Hydropower corporation (OHPC). The combined capacity is calculated to be 225 MW in phase I.

Odisha, in its Renewable Energy policy 2016, had planned to add  2,200 MW capacity of solar energy by 2022. India itself has planned for 175 GW of renewable energy by 2022. However, lower solar irradiation will make Odisha miss on lower tariffs.  Odisha receives an average solar radiation of 5.5 kWh/square meter, in comparison to Rajasthan’s 7kWH/ square meter.