Canal-top solar projects generate over 9 mn units of power in Gujarat.

At a time when the first-ever solar-propelled plane, Solar Impulse-2 has shown the world the impossible becoming possible, the Gujarat government recently informed canal-top solar power projects in two places in the state successfully generated over 9 million units of electricity thereby avoided water evaporation.

State's first attempt of setting up a canal-top solar project on Narmada Canal near Sanand has generate 4.7 million units of power since its commissioning in 2012 and saved about 9 million litres of water from getting evaporated, the State Assembly was informed today. The Canal-top project at Sanand is spread on about 750 meters of Narmada Canal.

Gujarat cabinet minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama stated that the canal-top solar projects were the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his tenure as chief minister of Gujarat, and that the projects, besides generating clean energy with zero emissions, also saved water.

Similarly, in January this year The United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon had inaugurated the 10-megawatt canal-top solar power project on Narmada canal in Vadodara. The project has so far generated about 4.735 million units of electricity in a short span of time.

'These solar projects are unique achievements of the state. After the success of these two canal-top solar projects, the Union government has also approved additional 25-MW solar projects of which 10 MW is canal-top and 15 MW is canal bank projects with a total cost of about Rs. 274 crore,' Chudasama told the state assembly recently.


HBL