The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has granted approval for setting up of 18 MW rooftop solar power projects in the state of Odisha.
The proposed project will be developed on about 600 government buildings covering 17 cities and towns. The towns identified include Sambalpur, Burla, Hirakud, Rourkela, Puri, Khurda, Berhampur, Chhattrapur, Jeypore, Koraput, Sunabeda, Balasore, Bhadrak and Baripada. Besides, buildings without solar rooftop plants in Cuttack and Bhubaneswar are also likely to be included under the project.
The project is expected to be developed at an estimated cost of Rs 1,260 million on public-private partnership basis. The Green Energy Development Corporation of Odisha Limited (GEDCOL) will invite bids for the projects. The developers will get about 30 per cent subsidy from the MNRE which will be routed through GEDCOL.
In its Renewable Energy Policy-2016, the state government plans to install 2,200 MW of solar energy capacity by 2022. Odisha receives an average solar radiation of 5.5 kWh per square meter with an average capacity utilisation factor ranging from 15-17 per cent across the districts and around 300 clear sunny days every year.