Under the ‘Scheme for Development of Solar Parks and Ultra Mega Solar Power Projects’, a total of 57 solar parks of aggregate capacity of 39,285 MW were sanctioned until November-2022.
- However, only solar power projects of 10,027 MW have been commissioned in these parks.
- These data were presented by R.K. Singh, Minister for New and Renewable Energy, at the Rajya Sabha on December 13.
Reasons for shortfall and challenges
- Some solar parks had been cancelled due to their “slow progress”.
- Hurdles in acquisition of land with clear title;
- A “mismatch” in the time taken to set up a project,
- The infrastructure to route the power produced to the grid;
- Environmental issues: The habitat of the Great Indian Bustard (GIB) — a critically endangered species numbering less than 200 in Rajasthan — has been encroached upon by solar power projects particularly by transmission lines that endanger the bird. The Supreme Court last April, had directed that power companies lay underground cables in solar parks in Rajasthan though few companies have actually complied.
- Halt in economic activity due to COVID-19
Targets
- India had committed to installing 175 GW of renewable energy by 2022 of which 100 GW was to be solar power.
- As of October 2022, 61,000 MW of solar power had been installed so far, according to numbers presented in Parliament.
Development of Solar Parks and Ultra-Mega Solar Power Projects
- The scheme for “Development of Solar Parks and Ultra-Mega Solar Power Projects” was rolled out in December 2014 by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy and with an objective to facilitate the solar project developers to set up projects in a plug-and-play model
