India presidential candidate, Modi: ‘Use solar to empower people’

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email

While inaugurating the 151MW Neemuch solar power plant in Madhya Pradesh, India, presidential candidate, Narendra Modi called for India to utilise solar energy to empower its citizens.

Modi, currently the chief minister of Gujarat, the leading solar capacity state and first state to introduce net metering, called for India to become energy self sufficient by using its own natural resources, such as solar, to provide its energy.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Unlock unlimited access for 12 whole months of distinctive global analysis

Photovoltaics International is now included.

  • Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
  • In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
  • Unlimited digital access to the PV Tech Power journal catalogue
  • Unlimited digital access to the Photovoltaics International journal catalogue
  • Access to more than 1,000 technical papers
  • Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual

Or continue reading this article for free

Modi is also the leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (translates as ‘Common Man Party’), and is currently running for president in elections for the 16th Lok Sabha (parliament).

Modi reiterated at the inauguration, as part of his campaign in the upcoming elections, the use of solar energy generation to empower the citizens of India and mitigate corruption in the country.

He called for government focus on energy development, detailing the use of hydro in the Himalayas, for India to utilise its biomass potential and for wind and solar installations in open land resources. 

He also warned of the economic dangers of relying on policies to import coal.

On Modi’s official Facebook page he said the Neemuch solar power plant is “impressive” development, and mentioned his policy of “the seven pillars of energy hydro, thermal, gas, solar, wind, biomass and nuclear, can make India self reliant in energy sector”.

The Neemuch project was developed by Welspun Group. Spanning 800 acres and costing an estimated INR855 crore, construction began on the project eight months ago.

Now complete the project will power 600,000 houses, doubling the state of Madhya Pradesh’s installed solar capacity.

Madhya Pradesh’s state’s principal secretary for new and renewable energy, Shri Sudhi Ranjan Mohanty, plans 2,600MW by June 2015, to be generated through renewable sources. The solar target is for 1,200MW by 2015.

Read Next

May 22, 2025
US energy utility AES has signed two long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) with technology giant Meta for two solar PV projects in the US states of Texas and Kansas.
May 22, 2025
The New York State Energy and Research Development Authority (NYSERDA) has contracted 2.2GW of solar PV across 18 projects.
May 22, 2025
SMA Solar will begin local assembly of power systems for large-scale solar and energy storage systems in the US.
May 22, 2025
Prefabricated solar structure provider 5B has become the first recipient of the Australian government’s AU$1 billion Solar Sunshot Program, securing up to AU$46 million for its “Maverick” automated solar deployment system.
May 21, 2025
There is potential for cPPAs to deliver the energy transition, according to speakers at the Renewables Procurement and Revenue Summit.
May 21, 2025
US PV module manufacturer Silfab Solar has acquired a patent portfolio for back-contact (BC) solar cells from solar research firm EnPV.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
June 17, 2025
Napa, USA
Solar Media Events
July 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
July 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
July 8, 2025
Asia
Solar Media Events
September 16, 2025
Athens, Greece