Solar energy in the foreground in Karnataka



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The sun has smiled on the solar energy sector in Karnataka, with the state leading the country in the renewable energy sector.

According to the Karnataka Renewable Energy Department Ltd. (KREDL), in March 2018, Karnataka produced 12,169.37 MW of renewable energy products (4,884.56 MW from solar energy).

Tumakuru dominates solar energy with 47 projects generating 1,084.88 MW having already been commissioned. The total capacity of the 70 solar projects allocated in the district is 3,771.90 MW. Other districts attracting solar projects are Chitradurga (62 projects, capacity 677 MW) and Ballari (24 projects, capacity 431 MW).

In contrast, Bengaluru Urban has only one project with a capacity of 1 MW, but two global projects with a capacity of 2 MW have been awarded. Bangalore Rural is doing better with two projects with a capacity of 12.5 MW having been ordered from the four projects with a capacity of 33.5 MW.

Bescom officials said the underlying areas have solar roofs, with total capacity since 2014 reaching 98 MW.

"Even for solar roofs, although the number of consumers is higher in Bengaluru Urban, the capacity is lower, because consumers need a zone without shade and other requirements to produce energy." 39; electricity. Rural consumers will have more capacity, "said one official.

D. Nagaraj, Managing Director of KREDL, said that factors such as land, radiation and other constraints, such as accessibility, played a key role. "In Bengaluru Urban, for example, it's mostly solar roofs, because the availability of land is a problem. The installation of ground-based solar power plants to generate 1 MW requires five acres. In other districts, where there are no solar projects, the problems include litigation, the availability of abundant sunlight and accessibility, "he said. added.

Tumakuru was propelled to the forefront by the 2,000 MW Pavagada solar plant. "It's the only government solar project. All other projects are managed by private actors, "he said.

The companies running these projects accepted. Andrew Hines, co-founder of CleanMax Solar, who built what is considered the first open-access solar farm in Karnataka and owns solar farms in Tumakuru, Ballari and Kalaburagi districts, said: criteria for site selection, such as physical characteristics, including solar radiation at the site, as well as topography and soil type. The second would be the evacuation of electricity, that is to say the proximity of a substation, capable of receiving the generated solar energy. "

They power many IT companies, manufacturers and businesses, mainly in Bengaluru.

Rajendra Parakh, chief financial officer of Vikram Solar Ltd., said: "The availability of solar radiation, the proximity of the evacuation systems, the availability of land without problems such as local resistance, reasonable ground conditions and captive consumption are the key factors. Vikram Solar Ltd. has three solar projects in Karnataka in Davangere and Gundlupet.

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