Lucknow: With power consumption likely to increase up to 53,000 megawatt in the next 5 years and increase subsequently at the rate of 16 per cent every year, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed the officials to focus on creating alternative sources of energy, such as solar power, and reduce dependence on the conventional thermal and hydro power.
The directive has been issued in order to cut the cost of generation and also control pollution.
Speaking at a meeting on solar energy, Yogi said that electricity would play the most important role in making the state a one trillion dollar economy. It may be noted that with investors from both within the country and abroad coming to UP to invest in the state due to the industry-friendly policies of the Yogi government the demand for electricity is likely to rise significantly in the state in near future to run industrial activities.
Keeping this in mind the CM has instructed the officials to focus on solar energy to meet the increasing demand for electricity. The Yogi government has also brought a new UP Solar Energy Policy 2022, under which many concessions have been given to the investors in the sector.
The Yogi government will build 18 solar cities in the state to increase the production of solar energy. Noida and Ayodhya will be developed as solar cities first followed by development of 16 municipal corporations of the state.
During the meeting, Yogi said that power generated at solar cities will constitute 10 percent of the total power generation in the state. “Besides, emphasis was also laid ion increasing solar power generation year after year so that cheap electricity could be made available to the people of UP, including the investors,” he said.
In order to increase the production of solar energy, the construction of solar parks is going on at a rapid pace in the Bundelkhand region. A solar park is being built here, which will produce 4,000 MW of electricity daily.
On the other hand, green corridors will be built for the supply of solar energy to various districts of the state. In the first phase of the solar park, solar energy will be supplied from the electricity feeder meant for agriculture and supply in rural areas.
Solar energy will first illuminate UP’s villages. Along with this the pumps used for irrigation of the fields will be completely operated with solar energy.
