West Bengal govt plans to develop floating solar projects in big way

The West Bengal government is planning to develop floating solar power projects in a big way as it does not require a large tract of land, a minister said on Friday.

The government is exploring opportunities to take up 5 MW floating solar project on large ponds in the Bandel thermal power plant area, state power minister Sovandeb Chattopadhyay said.

The state is also commissioning country's largest grid-connected floating solar project at Sagardighi thermal power plant in Murshidabad at a cost of Rs 22 crore, he said.

"We are looking for more locations for setting up floating solar projects, particularly in thermal plant areas of the West Bengal Power Development Corporation.

"There is scope at the Bandel unit in Hooghly. We will explore opportunities and I think it can house large projects of 5MW or even more. We want to increase our renewable portfolio," Chattopadhyay told PTI.

WBPDCL's Bakreswar plant area in Bankura is another location where such green power project can be developed, he said.

The state government has taken a series of steps to increase the generation of non-conventional power, he said.

"When I took over as a minister, solar capacity was just 2 MW; now it has been ramped up to 130 MW," Chattopadhyay said.

He said another 200 MW solar project had been undertaken in two phases in East Midnapore district at a cost of Rs 1,200 crore and will help reduce 5,00,000 tonne of carbon emission. 

Image Credits: PTI