Andhra Pradesh among top 3 in green energy

Visakhapatnam: Andhra Pradesh has made it to the top three states with respect to green energy generation capacity installed in the state.

AP has secured the second spot by installing various grid connected green energy plants from 2013 fiscal to October 2016, which can generate about 2633 MW, according to a Ministry of New and Renewal energy report.    

The state took a big leap in the first half of the current fiscal by installing about 965 MW capacity renewal energy projects. It installed 409 MW, 414 MW, 844 MW in 2013, 2014, 2015 fiscal respectively.

Madhya Pradesh tops the list with a lead of just 56 MW from AP with capacity of 2,689 MW, where it set up various projects having capacity of 357 MW, 670 MW, 1479 MW and 182 MW in 2013, 2014, 2015 fiscal and 2016 (till October).   

Contrary to perception, wind power has remained dominant among all green energy sources so far in the state with cumulative capacity commissioned at 1986 MW against the solar power of 966 MW.

“From the last year, there is a dramatic change in the renewal energy sector in the state and the statistics itself speak for it. Business-friendly policy of the state and making available suitable land to the developers without any hassle has borne fruit at last,” said New and Renewable Energy Development Corporation vice-chairman M. Kamalakar Babu.  

“At a rough estimation, about Rs 50,000 crore has been pumped in various green energy projects in the state. A solar project with capacity of 1,000 MW requires about Rs 7,000 crore and hence the four solar projects would alone draw an investment of about Rs 28,000 crore. Many private companies are showing interest and I am sure the investment would touch about Rs one lakh crore in the next two years, making AP green energy hub in the country,” said Mr Kamalakar Babu.    

Moreover, the cost of generating solar power has largely reduced to about Rs 5 per unit while it was about Rs 17 per unit some years ago.