Fri. Mar 29th, 2024

Recently, when the public is better aware about land-use development and its setbacks to Nature, there are several news surfacing online regarding the reckless diversion of lands: from forest to agricultural land, from wasteland, wetland or grassland to cultivated fields.

But here is a case of legitimate utilization of farm land to a better use.

For the vast, uncultivated semi-arid lands, even at times barren fields of arid regions of Rajasthan, a farmland owner Devkaran Yadav has been exemplary. He made a contract with Rajasthan Renewable Energy Corporation Limited (RRECL) for 25 years, starting in September 2020.

To become the first ever farm-based solar power plant under the Prime Minister’s Kisan Urja Suraksha Evum Utthan Mahabhiyan (KUSUM) scheme, this project has come up in Jaipur district’s Kotputli tehsil.

Semi-barren land for Electricity:

The 1 MW project, established on 3.50 acres of semi-barren farmland in Kotputli’s Bhaloji village, has the provision for production of 17 lakh units of electricity per year.

This lies in consonance with the 623 farm-based solar power projects categorized by the Rajasthan Renewable Energy Corporation Limited (RRECL) for capacity generation of 722 MW in the State, as the first plant under the scheme’s first phase.

Money prospects for the owner:

The farm-based project developed at a cost of ₹3.70 crore is expected to generate an annual direct income of ₹50 lakh for Mr. Yadav in the form of money by Discoms(Distribution Companies) as the electricity will be purchased at the rate of ₹3.40 per unit.

Non-conventional Energy Target by the State Government:

With total aim of 38,000 MW renewable energy capacity, the State Government has undertaken a slew of measures related to solar energy, wind and hybrid energy policies, back in December 2019.

KUSUM under State prerogatives:

It hopes to be in the order of 2,600 MW, looking at which the letters of award have already been issued to 623 applicants in the state.

To comply and fulfil the 100 GW solar target for 2022, PM KUSUM alone hopes to muster 30.8 GW through photovoltaic cells and rooftop Solar.

This scheme ensures energy security for farmers as they become capable of extracting revenue from their less productive or barren lands.

It would also anyhow help the Governments to increase clean green form of energy and generate amply required employment in the rural areas, along with honoring India’s Intended NDC(INDC) commitment in Paris Agreement to increase the share of installed capacity of electric power from non-fossil-fuel sources to 40% by 2030.

The three kinds of farm-based Solar plants are:

On-grid or grid-tie or grid-feed solar system: It is connected to the public electricity grid. Any excess solar power that one generates is exported to the electricity grid and is usually paid a feed-in-tariff (FiT) or credits for the energy one can export.

explained: on-grid solar power systems

Off-grid or also stand-alone power system (SAPS): Needed in remote areas to generate enough power throughout the year or have enough battery capacity to meet the home’s requirements.

Difference between On-grid and Off-grid Solar systems

Upcoming Solar projects:

India’s biggest floating solar power plant is to become operational in Telangana next month with an inbuilt capacity of 100 MW, having 4.5 lakh photovoltaic panels(to be possibly expanded in future).

This project has been set up by National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) in reservoir of its thermal power plant at Ramagundam, Peddapalli district that is spread over 450 acres. Several states in India have the potential for Solar energy generation.

Solar Capacity of the Southern States:

NTPC has planned Solar power plants of the total capacity of 450 MW in the Indian peninsula. Of these planned, the 217 MW plants would be floating on water bodies on the major reservoirs available in the region.

Electricity will be produced in expanse of about 2,000-hectare water area by installing solar panels in the dam as they float on the surface of the water in the reservoir.

Advantages of such proposed floating plants:

A still from the movie Tenet, depicting floating renewable energy generation in Hybrid form
  1. Water bodies acting as coolants and rendering the cooling effect to improve the performance of solar photovoltaic panels by 5 to 10 per cent.

2. This increase in efficiency and productivity means a significant cost reduction for the plant owners.

Other benefits include reduced water evaporation, reduced grid interconnection costs, low water surface algal blooming and improved water quality.

Together, the Wind and Solar may provide significant productivity, into a small “hybrid” electric system that combines both: wind electric and solar electric.

How Hybrid renewable form works

Both these forms compensate each others paucity: wind speeds may be low in the summer when the sun shines brightest and longest or the wind is strong in the winter when less sunlight is available to yield solar energy.

To our awe, the world’s biggest floating 600 MW solar energy project is also planned to be in India at Omkareshwar dam on the Narmada river in Khandwa district, Madhya Pradesh. It is expected to begin power generation by 2022-23.

By Alaina Ali Beg

I am a lover of all arts and therefore can dream myself in all places where the World takes me. I am an avid animal lover and firmly believes that Nature is the true sorcerer.