The Central Government has come out with a renewable energy scheme that provides urban local bodies with the capacity to address the power shortage in their areas.
The entire cost of implementing this project, called ‘Solar City,' would be borne by the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE). The scheme is being implemented in the State through Tamil Nadu Energy Development Agency (TEDA), S.E.S. Syed Ahamed, Deputy General Manager, TEDA Madurai Region, told The Hindu here on Sunday. The TEDA Madurai Region comprised 11 southern and central districts.
“The Central Government has been motivating not only the people but also the State Governments to aim in reduction in the conventional energy thereby compensating with renewable energy. The MNRE aims to set up a maximum of 60 such Solar Cities with at least one in each State,” he said.
The Centre hoped to achieve the target by providing support for Master Plan for the Solar City. While the total financial commitment for this scheme was Rs.98.50 crore, the Central Financial Assistance (CFA) for Master plan per city was Rs.50 lakh and total financial assistance would be Rs.2.50 crore per city.
As pilot projects, he informed, the ten cities would be covered during the 11{+t}{+h} Five Year Plan on a ‘first-come first-serve' basis. In Tamil Nadu, Coimbatore has been chosen as for coverage in the initial phases.
Urban local bodies with population between 50,000 and 50 lakh in their jurisdiction could apply for this project through TEDA. The project would require details such as total number of street lights and other areas of energy consumption in the target area.
The Solar City project would focus on devices such as solar systems such as building integrated photovoltaic systems, kitchen waste-based plants, solar water heating systems, solar cooking systems, solar steam generating/drying/air heating systems, solar concentrators for process heat applications, solar air-conditioning, power projects on methane recovery from Standard, Temperature and Pressure (STPs) condition, bio-mass gasification based systems and biogas besides wind.
Mr. Syed said that TEDA was making efforts to bring in more cities under this scheme as a way to tackle the power crisis in the State. He said that TEDA had identified around 200 beneficiaries in Kanyakumari district to provide solar home lighting system free of cost under ‘Part II' scheme at a cost of Rs.45 Lakh.
