Energetica India Magazine December 2020

Gujarat Announces ‘Solar Power Policy 2021’; Scraps Installed Capacity Boundation K’taka Clears 5 Proposals worth Rs 26,659 Cr includingEV,Li-IonCell&BatteryManufacturing With an aim to encourage small and medium scale solar projects on residential, commercial and industrial (C&I) premises, the Chief Minister of Gujarat Vijay Rupani has unveiled the ‘Gujarat Solar Power Policy 2021’. As per the new policy, the state government has scrapped the condition that the installed capacity of a solar project needs to be 50 per cent of the sanction load or contract demand. Now, an individual or industry can produce solar power in their premises as per their requirements and without any limit on the capacity, reported PTI. Further, the new policy will remain in effect for 5 years and solar projects, which come up during this period will be eligible for various benefits for a period of 25 years, a government release about the policy stated. “Under this policy, people can even give their terraces or premises to other developers on lease and earn an income on it. With no limit on the installed capacity, industries can produce more solar power and bring down their overall production cost,” Rupani said. This policy will make ‘Made in Gujarat’ products more competitive globally, he said. To encourage people to opt for solar panels, the state government has also announced that additional electricity from roof-top residential projects and captive MSME units will be purchased at Rs 2.25 per unit for a period of five years, it was stated. Moreover, a group of industries can also come together to set up a captive solar project at one place and distribute power as per their share in the investment, state energy minister Saurabh Patel said. Currently, solar project developers need to pay a security deposit of Rs 25 lakh for each MW of installed capacity to distribution companies under the Power Purchase Agreement, he said. In the new policy, the deposit amount has been slashed to just Rs 5 lakhs for a MW, the minister added. The 55th State High-Level Clearance Committee (SHLCC) meeting chaired by Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa cleared 5 projects with a total investment potential of Rs 26,659 crore and can generate employment to 13,341 people. Further, investments cleared in the SHLCC meeting include 2 proposals by Elest Pvt Ltd in Hubli/Dharwad - one worth Rs 14,255 crore on 85 acres of land for electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing, with a potential to generate employment for 867 people, said PTI. The other is worth Rs 6,339 crore on 88 acres for lithium-ion cells and battery manufacturing unit, which can generate 1,804 jobs. Also cleared are proposals worth Rs 1,825 crore by Hyunet Pvt Ltd on 300 acres to be allotted by Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board in Bagepalli taluk of Chikkaballapur district for Lithium batteries and EVs, which can generate 2,210 jobs. According to the PTI report, investment worth Rs 1,290 crore by Miraculum Green Power Pvt Ltd on 700 acres to be taken on lease at villages in Jagalur Taluk of Davengere district to set up 110 MW hybrid wind-solar power project, with a potential to generate 2,820 jobs. A proposal worth Rs 2,950 crore by Sanali Power Pvt Ltd on 1,710 acres also taken on lease at villages in Jagalur Taluk of Davengere district to set up a hybrid wind-solar power project, that can create jobs to 5,640 people, added the media reports. While projects with investments between Rs 15 to 100 crore were cleared by the State Level Single Window Clearance Committee (SLSWCC), chaired by the Minister for Large and Medium Scale Industries, investments above Rs 100 crore are cleared by the SHLCC, chaired by the Chief Minister. NEWS POLICY 25 energetica INDIA- December_2020