New Delhi : Madhya Pradesh has always been working for environmental protection. This is the reason that our state has got the distinction of having the largest area of forests. We have been working in the field of environmental protection in various ways. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that the state is progressing rapidly in the field of green energy generation. We have increased its production by more than 10 times in the last 8 years. Chief Minister Shri Chouhan said that in the year 2012, our production in solar power, wind power, biomass power and small hydro power used to be 438.24 megawatt, which has increased to about 5500 megawatt in 2021.
Chief Minister Shri Chouhan said that the future belongs to green energy, because the traditional resources of energy will definitely be exhausted gradually, the sound of which is already being heard, due to exploitation of coal reserves in energy production, there is a supply crisis. Chief Minister Shri Chouhan said that we get renewable energy from the Sun. Energy from the Sun, wind and biomass is cheap and also helps in environmental protection. More and more use of Sun, wind and solar energy will also be helpful in reducing carbon emissions in the world, for which continuous efforts are being made at the global level.
The work of development of 1500 megawatt power generation capacity is in full swing at the solar park project at Agar-Shajapur-Neemuch in the state. Land has been allotted for projects of 500 MW in Neemuch, 550 MW in Agar and 450 MW in Shajapur. From the Neemuch Solar Park project, the rate of only 2 rupees 14 paise per unit has been received, which is the lowest rate in the country. A target has been set by the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy to set up solar projects of one hundred Gigawatt (1 lakh megawatt) in the country by the year 2022. Out of this, Madhya Pradesh has a target of 5 thousand 675 megawatt capacity solar projects by the year 2022. At present, solar projects of 2400 megawatt capacity are established in the state. Projects of about 5000 megawatt capacity are under installation. This target of the state government will make a significant contribution in achieving the ambitious green energy target of the country.
The state has set new benchmarks of progress in the field of solar energy. Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Project is one of the important solar projects not only in the country but also in Asia. In the year 2019-20, 14 projects of 401.95 megawatt capacity were established and 8 projects of 45.63 megawatt capacity were registered. Similarly, in the year 2020-21, 12 projects of 81.20 megawatt capacity were registered and a total of 13 projects were established. So far, 2386 megawatt power is being generated from 128 solar power projects in the state. In the year 2012, 315 megawatt power was being generated in the state from wind energy, which has now increased to 5 thousand megawatt through 105 projects registered in wind energy. Various measures have been taken to develop biomass based power projects. According to the policy issued in October 2011, 33 projects of 117 megawatt have been established in the state. Two more projects totalling 16 megawatt are being set up.
The country’s largest floating solar project of 600 megawatt is being set up in Omkareshwar, whose bidding is likely soon. This multipurpose project will be very important for tourism, land and water conservation. The power generated from the project will be adjusted from the external grid through a 400 kilowatt sub-station of the power grid at Khandwa. The work of development of 57 hydel power projects of 324 MW capacity in the state is in progress.
To promote green energy in the state, farmers are being encouraged to produce solar energy. The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha Utthan Maha Abhiyan (KUSUM) is being run by the Central New and Renewable Energy Department for the farmers. Under Pradhan Mantri Kusum (A)-Yojana, farmers can sell electricity to the state government by setting up solar plants in their fertile or barren land. Under the project, 357 farmers of the state have given their consent to set up solar projects of 600 megawatt capacity on 2961 acres of land. A target of 100 megawatt has been set in the year 2021-22. Farmers will get additional income from the scheme.
In order to provide adequate irrigation facilities to the farmers of the state, solar pumps are being set up under the Pradhan Mantri Kusum (B)-Yojana (Mukhyamantri Solar Pump Yojana). This year about 7 thousand solar pumps have been installed in the farmers’ place. About 23 thousand 500 farmers have registered for installation of solar pumps. A target has been set to install 45,000 solar pumps in farms by July 2023.
Under Pradhan Mantri Kusum (C)-Yojana, grid connected irrigation pumps are energized with solar energy. Under the scheme, solarization of the entire feeder or separate solarization of the irrigation pumps connected on the feeder can be done. Under the scheme, 30 percent grant is given by the central government.
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