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The state of Uttar Pradesh has made significant progress in the field of renewable energy in the last 07 years with the renewable energy capacity in the state increasing to a total of 4300 MW by using 2100 MW solar energy and 2200 MW bioenergy. To further the efforts, Uttar Pradesh Government has released the UP Solar Energy Policy 2022 and Bioenergy Policy 2022, which are very beneficial for investors and the general public in the state.

The Government of Uttar Pradesh is committed to the sustainable development of the state through energy transition. To achieve the goal of creating a 1 trillion dollar economy, the Government of Uttar Pradesh, through UPNEDA, the nodal agency designated for renewable energy works in the state, is promoting the use of various sources of renewable energy. Some achievements in the renewable energy sector of Uttar Pradesh include:

• Till date, about 345 MW capacity solar rooftop plants have been installed in the state. Some of the plants have been installed in the residences of 12,938 domestic electricity consumers, who have been given state grant amount of Rs 38.63 crore. Solar rooftop plants have been installed in 1550 buildings of additional social institutions /educational institutions/ government/ semi-government, industrial and commercial institutions. To promote the use of solar rooftops, UPNEDA is also doing the work of making the beneficiaries aware in the identified districts like Ayodhya, Ghaziabad, Varanasi, Kanpur, Aligarh etc. through information department, radio jingles, district-level workshops etc.
• Under the Uttar Pradesh Government Solar City Programme, Ayodhya is being developed as a model solar city which includes solar rooftops, solar high masts, solar street lights, solar trees, solar cold storage, solar boats, solar parks, and solar water. The establishment of kiosks and solar energization of pump stations etc. are also included. To start the above works, the Uttar Pradesh Government has sanctioned an amount of Rs 28.2 crore. More than 2500 solar lights have been installed in Ayodhya. Apart from Ayodhya, 17 other municipal corporations and Noida have been included under the Solar City programme.

The Government of Uttar Pradesh is entering into a strategic partnership with Central PSUs like THDC, NHPC, and SECI through the nodal agency UPNEDA to implement utility-scale solar projects in the state. Some of the major projects to be started in the state in the next two years are as follows:

1. Tusco Limited – Jhansi – 600 MW, Lalitpur – 600 MW, Chitrakoot – 800 MW. To start these projects, the process of land acquisition has been completed 90 percent in Jhansi district, 75 percent in Lalitpur and 60 percent in Chitrakoot.
2. BSUL, Jalaun – 1200 MW
3. BSUL, Kalpi Solar Power Project – 65 MW
4. BSUL, Madhogarh Solar Power Project – 45 MW
5. BSUL, Mirzapur Solar Power Project – 100 MW
6. Jalaun Solar Park (Gurah) – 40 MW, Jalaun Solar Park (Guna) – 75 MW, Jalaun Solar Park – (Parasan) – 75 MW, Kanpur Dehat Solar Park (Gujarai) – to be commissioned by February 2024
7. LSPDCL, Prayagraj Solar Park (has been commissioned.)
8. LSPDCL, Mirzapur Solar Park – 75 MW (has been commissioned)

• Under the “Decentralized Distributed Generation” program, the beneficiary families of the districts adjacent to the Indo-Nepal border and such remote/remote unelectrified areas/settlements/settlements of the state, in which conventional/grid electricity supply from Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited is not possible. Houses are being electrified/ energized by installing solar power pack plants. In the last year, solar power packs have been provided to 6431 beneficiary families in Maharajganj, Kushinagar, Bahraich, Balrampur, Shravasti, Pilibhit, Lakhimpur. The fixed cost for the supply/ installation of a solar power pack plant including last year’s five-year warranty is Rs. 47427. 29/- only which includes one 200-watt solar module, and one 80 A. H Lithium ferro-phosphate battery, 5 LED luminaries, one 20-watt D.C. ceiling fan, a mobile charging point, and all other desired hardware.
• Under PM Kusum Yojana Component-C, an ambitious target of 2000 MW solar energy capacity has been set for Uttar Pradesh by the year 2027. Approval has been received for 2000 private on-grid pumps in Kusum C-1 and 150 MW capacity in Kusum C-2 (month-September, 2023). Apart from the above, Uttar Pradesh is the first state in the country to provide a state government subsidy of Rs 50 lakh/MW capacity in Kusum component C-2 feeder level solarization. In Kusum C-1, a 90 percent subsidy is being provided to all farmers and up to 100 percent subsidy is being provided to economically weaker communities like Bantangiya, Musahar etc. UPNEDA has received 5000 applications for solarizing private on-grid pumps in Kusum C-1. UPNEDA has set a target of solarization of 2000 private metered on-grid pumps in the financial year 2023–24. The remaining private ongrid pumps will be taken for solarization in the coming years.
• In line with the vision of Honorable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji to generate wealth from waste, the State Government is promoting bioenergy projects. The state government aims to set up at least 1 bioenergy project in every tehsil of Uttar Pradesh. In-principle approval has been given by the State Government for 127 bio-energy projects, the total cost of which is Rs. 6700 crore, out of which a total of 35 projects, whose total cost is approx. Rs.18000 crore, have also received final approval from the State Government.

The favorable policies of the State Government and better infrastructure created during the last 07 years have shown their impact and a total investment of Rs 8 lakh crore has been received in the renewable energy sector at the Global Investor Summit held in February 2023. Through the efforts of UPNEDA, 111 projects (Solar – 32, Bio till groundbreaking ceremony) Energy – 74 and Pumped Storage -05) are ready for October 2023. Government land for 09 projects (07 solar and 02 bioenergy) has been transferred to developers for the construction of the projects. Apart from this, government land has been identified for the construction of bioenergy projects at 14 more places.

In further efforts, training centers have been set up at several locations (locations: Chinhat – Lucknow, GhosiMau, Siyarmau – Kannauj and in tie-up with various ITI institutes) to ensure wider access to skill development programs under “Surya Mitra Yojana”. Of the 1,900 youth who trained, 65 have successfully secured employment and 90 have taken up self-employment ventures. UPNEDA aims to train 30,000 Surya Mitras till 2027.

For the overall development and security of the people of Uttar Pradesh, Babu Kalyan Singh Yojana has been started under which solar street lights will be installed in a total of 1,500 gram panchayats, with a total budget of Rs. 22.5 crores.

UPNEDA is also organizing programs to promote special communication in districts like Kanpur, Varanasi, Aligarh etc. to increase the adoption of rooftop solar.

To promote green hydrogen/green ammonia production and this sector in the state, the government has prepared a draft of Uttar Pradesh Green Hydrogen Policy 2024. The process to get the said draft policy approved by the government is in the final stage.

For the establishment of Pumped Storage Hydro Plant (PSP) plants in the state, action is being taken to identify sites and implement them. For this work, the process has been started to set up 09 projects with a total proposed capacity of about 12,000 MW by 05 developer companies.

Apart from the above, UPNEDA is also taking help from technical consultants like Grant Thornton, Deloitte, RMI, Vasudha Foundation, CEED, IIT Kanpur, Delhi and BHU, World Bank, ADB, The Nature Conservancy etc. for technical feasibility study and development. Noted concepts in emerging areas of renewable energy. Collaborations are alos being done with agencies such as NexGen InfoWorld to participate in the carbon credit mechanism. To maintain transparency at every level, ERP system is also being developed.

UPNEDA is also making efforts for timely and prompt disbursement of subsidies to customers through a transparent online portal. The subsidy has been distributed to around 8000 beneficiaries in this financial year, with the subsidy being made available in 15 days with the help of an online portal.

Bioenergy and solar energy portal has been developed by UPNEDA for effective and transparent approval of projects. Developers can register their projects through these portals for state government approval. All approvals are given through this portal. Aan online process for issuing NOC for the production of biodiesel from biodiesel projects has also been launched.

Views expressed by: Anupam Shukla IAS, Director, Uttar Pradesh New & Renewable Development Agency (UPNEDA).

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