Four lakh farmers in Maharashtra to benefit from solar power by December 2019

The state government plans to generate 14,400 MW of renewable energy by December 2019, thus, providing over four lakh farmers access to electricity, informed Chandrashekhar Bawankule, state minister for energy, new and renewable energy.

Farmers have been demanding access to electricity during the daytime since the past year and with this plan, 45 lakh farmers from the state would be provided power generated through solar projects by 2025. The regions where the solar power projects would be set up include Konkan-Mumbai, Aurangabad, Vidarbha and western Maharashtra, added Bawankule.

Speaking about solar power generation, Bawankule said, “The cost of generation of solar power has come down from Rs 6 to Rs 3. Also, the cost of wind power has come down to Rs 2.65. We have a plan to cover all farmers under the solar energy project. This would satisfy the demand of farmers to get electricity during the daytime and will also reduce the financial load on commercial and industry power tariff.”

Bawankule said that the government plans to give available vacant government land to privateinvestors for setting up of solar power plants. “Power from these solar plants will be bought by the` (MSEDCL) and will be supplied to farmers,” he added.

He said that solar projects of 1,000 MW capacity have already been started and tenders have been floated for 500 MW production plants. “Apart from this, 5,500 solar pumps have been set up for individual farmers while the target is to set up 7,000 more,” he added.