SBJ Cleantech, a joint venture of Japanese telecommunications major Soft Bank Corp., Taiwan-based Foxconn Technology Group and Bharti Enterprises Limited, and Spanish wind power developer Acciona Energia signed separate MoUs with the Government of Andhra Pradesh (GoAP) for setting up solar and wind power projects in Rayalaseema, in the presence of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu here on Thursday.
SBJ Cleantech will develop 2 GW solar and 1 GW wind power projects in the first phase while the Spanish firm will set up a 3 MW wind electric generator with a 125 metre tower in Kurnool district.
Besides, four companies - Gamesa Wind Turbines Private Limited (GWTPL), Suzlon Energy Limited (SEL), Regen Powertech and ReNew Wind Power Private Limited (RWPPL) committed to invest Rs. 1,900 crore in wind farms and turbine manufacturing units in the next five years.
Welcoming the investments, Mr. Chandrababu Naidu requested the solar power producers to work on technologies that would bring down the output cost to Rs 3.50 to Rs. 4 per unit compared to the prevalent rate of just over Rs. 6.
On its part, the government will be investing close to Rs. 20,000 crore on strengthening the power transmission infrastructure. It was targeted to set up a 400 KVA sub-station in every district and industrial zone and replace the ageing lines with superior quality ones.
The GoAP gave due priority to solar-wind hybrid model of power generation for which the tariff was to be announced by the A.P Electricity Regulatory Commission (APERC). This hybrid model would make optimum use of land and improve the plant load factor.
The Chief Minister said the Aggregate Technical & Commercial (AT&C) losses in A.P stood at about 10.54 per cent and efforts were on to reduce it to single digits and bring it further down to the global norm of 5 to 6 per cent in a couple of years.
The Energy Department would strive to develop a scheduling and forecasting model that makes easier integration of the power generated with the grid, he asserted.
While appreciating the leadership of the A.P Chief Minister, SBG Cleantech Executive Chairman Manoj Kohli suggested that due priority be given to establishing a foolproof power transmission and evacuation mechanism.
