Andhra Pradesh to promote wind, solar plants

Hyderabad: Solar parks will be encouraged in a big way in Andhra Pradesh. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said the government will come out with a comprehensive solar and wind energy policy soon.

Officials said that AP has the potential to generate 6,000 MW of solar energy and 7,000 MW of wind energy. Tax exemptions, incentives and other sops would be offered for setting up solar and wind energy plants. Officials said the installed wind energy capacity was only 731 MW as on March 2014 as against the estimated potential of 14,500 MW in undivided AP including 7,000 MW in residuary AP. Likewise, the installed solar capacity was only 113 MW in March 2014 in residuary AP despite having huge potential.

During the last 10 years, states like Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Karnataka have added 7251 MW, 3472 MW, 3384 MW, 2734 MW and 2312 MW respectively in wind energy capacity.

Similarly, States like Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra have added 916 MW, 730 MW, 347 MW and 250 MW respectively in solar capacity. "Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has issued directions to the officials to study the best practices in solar and wind energy generation in the world and replicate them in AP in tune with the local conditions," said a senior official.

The AP Chief Minister also gave a presentation to Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal about the State government's big plans for promoting solar parks and wind energy generation, and sought financial and technical assistance in this regard.