Lucknow, Nov 3 (IANS): Uttar Pradesh is making impressive progress toward energy self-reliance, focusing on ambitious goals in solar and bioenergy under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, an official release said.
The Yogi Adityanath government aims to ensure 100 per cent electricity availability throughout the state while establishing a robust foundation for a $1 trillion economy through renewable energy.
The government is already in mission mode while planning to achieve energy self-sufficiency in Uttar Pradesh within the next two and a half to three years.
Major efforts are being made to expand access to solar energy in the state.
Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'PM Suryaghar Yojana', Uttar Pradesh has set a goal of connecting 2.5 million households to solar power within the next three years.
To date, over 48,000 homes have been outfitted with solar panels, with an additional 30,000 expected to benefit by the end of the fiscal year. This initiative aims to enhance home energy supply, promote environmental conservation, and lower electricity costs.
The 'PM Kusum Yojana' also aims to generate 2,000 MW of solar energy by 2027. This programme allows farmers to install solar panels on unused land, creating an additional source of income while promoting sustainable energy production throughout the state.
The Yogi Adityanath government is taking major initiatives to boost large-scale solar energy projects across Uttar Pradesh.
This includes developing solar parks with a combined capacity of 4,800 MW, with the tendering process underway.
Plans are also in place to establish floating solar projects across seven reservoirs, in partnership with National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), Tehri Hydro Development Corporation (THDC) and Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN). By 2027, the state aims to reach a solar power generation capacity of 14,000 MW.
Moreover, the Yogi Adityanath government is advancing toward bio-energy self-sufficiency.
Over the next two years, it has set ambitious targets to expand bio-compressed gas capacity to 1,000 TPD, bio-coal to 4,000 TPD, and bio-diesel to 2,000 KLPD (Kilo Liters Per Day).
Currently, bio-compressed gas plants with a 210 TPD capacity are operational, with further projects in progress. This bio-energy initiative not only seeks to curb pollution, but will also create new employment opportunities.
In anticipation of future energy demands, particularly for new industries, the government has laid a detailed blueprint for enhancing power infrastructure over the next decade. This includes establishing modern power plants and upgrading existing ones to ensure an uninterrupted energy supply, accelerating industrial growth.
These significant efforts aimed at energy self-sufficiency will lead to economic growth, promote industrial development, and encourage environmental conservation in Uttar Pradesh. This way, the state could be a model for solar and bioenergy progress nationwide.