A capacity of 500 MW was later been earmarked for solar thermal power plants and 10 such plants were selected under different schemes.
Under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM) Phase-I ending 31st March, 2013 a target of 1100 MW grid connected solar power was envisaged. Separate targets for different technologies (solar thermal or solar photovoltaic) were not set. A capacity of 500 MW was later been earmarked for solar thermal power plants and 10 such plants were selected under different schemes, with different completion schedules.
With regard to the projects under migration scheme 2 projects of 20 MW aggregate capacity did not get completed within approved schedule and stand cancelled while third project was commissioned at part capacity and the developer has not shown interest in commissioning the balance capacity. The remaining 7 projects under Batch–I still have time for completion till May 2013 (without payment of penalties) and are in various stages of construction.
The potential for solar power has been estimated for most parts of the country at around 30 -50 MW per square kilometer of open, shadow free area covered with solar panels /collectors.
Wind power potential of 20 MW at 50 meter height has been estimated in Himachal Pradesh.
The government is providing several financial and fiscal incentives to promote setting up of solar and wind power projects throughout the country, including the hill States. These include concessional/nil customs and excise duties on specified equipments, components & materials, accelerated depreciation and preferential feed-in-tariffs/ generation based incentive for grid connected projects, which depend upon project capacity & category.
In case of off-grid solar power plants/systems installed by government institutions / organizations in North-Eastern states, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir and border districts, Government is providing capital subsidy up to 90% of the benchmark cost of the systems upto 100 kW. For off-grid wind power plants, there is no special incentive for hill states.
This information was given by Minister for New & Renewable Energy, Dr. Farooq Abdullah in Rajya Sabha.
