Bihar govt devises policy to encourage use of solar energy

Suffering huge power shortage, the Bihar government has devised a policy to encourage the use of solar energy in the state that would provide tax incentives for installing such plants on wastelands.

The state government has done a survey which revealed that there is a tremendous scope for development of solar energy, state's Energy Minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav told PTI.

Accordingly, the state government has devised a solar energy promotion policy to popularise solar energy.

As part of this policy, the state government has decided to exempt registration and entry taxes on installation of solar energy plants on wastelands, Yadav said.

Proposals for generation of 250 MW through various solar power projects have been sent to the state Cabinet for approval, he said.

In a bid to popularise the solar energy among people, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has got installed solar power system at his official residence.

Companies engaged in sale of solar energy equipments estimate that the market for solar equipments in the state is worth more than Rs 40 crore and it is expected to grow further in future.

According to an International organisation 'WISE' (World Institute of Sustainable Energy) engaged in mapping prospects for production of solar energy, Bihar comes in the moderate solar radiation zone of the country.

Bihar witnesses 280 days of sunshine which reflects tremendous scope for developing solar energy market, WISE said.

Sanzar Ajmi, senior executive of a leading solar energy company Tata Power Solar, involved in the business in the state for the past eight years, said usage of solar equipments are moving from rural areas to urban areas of the state.

"The solar power equipments market is roughly witnessing around 15 per cent growth in the state every year," he said.

According to Bhupendra Roy, senior manager of ALPEX Solar, which exports solar equipments and photovoltaic cell based solar plate, there is sale of solar instruments worth Rs 3-4 crore every year in the state.

He said the company manufacture solar power system ranging fro 3 KW to 10 KW.

Roy said the company has installed solar power system to generate 22 MW of electricity at headquarters of East Central Railway (ECR) at Hajipur. Besides, solar power system of 25 MW potential would be installed at Samastipur Railway division soon.