India’s Madhya Pradesh targets 1,200MW of solar by 2015

The Indian state of Madhya Pradesh has set a new solar target for 1,400MW of solar by 2015.

The 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.

According to the Times of India, a government official said 1,200MW of this is to be solar, adding to the existing 202MW in Madhya Pradesh, for a total of 1,402MW of solar plants by June 2015.

The new policy was revealed at a meeting between the Energy Committee of Gujarat Chamber of Commerce & Industry (GCCI) and Mohanty last Thursday, 24 October.

Also in attendance was Shri Kanubhai Patel, GCCI regional secretary, Shri Jyotindrabhai Patel, GCCI energy committee chairman and Shri Nayan Parikh, member of the GCCI Energy Committee.

The committee discussed and identified surplus land not suitable for agriculture, with average solar radiation of 5.2 to 6.2 kWh per day, as having huge potential for solar energy development for the state. The government identified around 1,000 acres of land in the district of Neemuch, to set up a solar power plant to generate 130MW of power.

Also policies for tax, land, water charges, inspections, stamp duty exemptions and funding procurement and clearance for renewables projects were discussed.

Madyha Pradeesh has already increased its solar capacity from only 2MW in April 2012 to 202.15MW this September.

According to Bridge to India, Madhya Pradesh has 280MW of solar in development. The average tariff price in India has fallen by 63% in the last three years, with the average tariff of INR8 (US$0.13) being offered in Madhya Pradesh.

India’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has set a national target of 10GW of solar generation by 2017.

India is also planning a 4GW solar project in Rajasthan, set to be the largest solar power project in the world, while an ongoing anti-dumping dispute between manufacturers and developers continues to split the industry in two.