26 mini-power plants sanctioned
SP Sharma/Tribune News Service

Channu (Muktsar), February 19
Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy, Farooq Abdullah, today formally inaugurated a 14.5 MW biomass electricity generation plant in this village that had remained waterlogged in the past. Power would be generated by the Rs 80 crore plant from agricultural residue.

Encouraged by Punjab’s fast march in the area of renewable energy, his ministry had sanctioned 26 more such mini-power plants besides sanctioning pilot projects in the area of solar, hydel and wind energy, Abdullah said. He said his ministry under the pilot project was planning to provide solar and wind run water pumps to the farmers of Punjab in which farmers would contribute minimal amount. He said, if successful, it could save Rs 3,500 crore power subsidy being provided by state to the farmers.

He appreciated Sukhbir Singh for having set an example before the country by making determined forays in renewable energy sector with the target to generate 500 MW in next two years.

He said the residents of the villages around such projects would be benefited, as their agricultural waste would be procured for generating electricity.

Speaking on the occasion Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh said 29 such plants would be operational all over Punjab in next 18 months. He said each plant would buy agricultural waste to the tune of Rs 30 to 40 crore from the farmers in its 30-km radius. He said the farmers economy was set to get a boost as they would be earning Rs 900 crore by selling agricultural waste which was earlier burnt by them.

Badal said the plant would utilise agricultural wastes like cotton and rice husk, cow dung, straws and stalks of paddy, cotton and wheat to produce electricity.

He said Punjab was committed to generate 10 per cent of installed generating capacity from renewable energy sources. Badal said he had launched three-pronged strategy to realise mission of making Punjab Power surplus.

Sukhbir Singh said this same company would setup two more plants in Ferozepur and Mansa at the cost of Rs 250 crore. He said with 20 lakh million tonne agricultural residue being generated every year, Punjab can produce over 1,000 MW power from agro waste alone.

Bipin Bhardwaj adds from Binjon (Hoshiarpur): After generating power from hydel, thermal and solar projects, the union government would focus on wind energy. The next step to generate power would be from underground gases.

The UPA government will do its utmost to tap maximum natural resources of new and renewable energy, said Union Minister of New and Renewable Energy, Dr Farooq Abdullah.

Dr Abdullah was here to lay the foundation stone of a 10 MW biomass power project being set up by Green Planet Energy Pvt Ltd, a Maharashtra-based company at a cost of Rs 68 crore.