CONRAD DIAS
Ranchi, April 12: The Jharkhand State Electricity Regulatory Commission (JSERC) and the State Government have planned to take necessary steps for promotion of renewable energy in the state. They have come up with Jharkhand State Solar Power Policy 2022 that targets to deploy a cumulative capacity of 4000 MW in the state by 2026 through a diversified project portfolio across scales, locations and applications
The Section 108 of the Electricity Act, 2003 mandates the Government to give directions to the State Commission in the matter of policy involving public interest. Accordingly, the State Government in exercise of its powers formulated this policy. This policy supersedes the previous Jharkhand State Solar Power Policy 2015.
The policy aims to increase the share of solar electricity in DISCOM’S energy purchase to 12.5% by 2023-24, subsequently increasing in line with the State Commission’s notified RPO trajectory. It also aims to deploy a cumulative capacity of 4000 MW in the state by 2026 through a diversified project portfolio across scales, locations and applications.
The policy will promote solar energy for development of rural economy and powering livelihoods. It will aim to develop 1000 model solar villages to ensure complete solarisation of various consumptive and productive loads.
The plan aims to install mini and micro grids for hamlets/villages where extension of the distribution grid is not possible. Stand-alone Solar Home Systems (SHS) and solar lighting in rural areas will help the rural areas in energy conservation.
The policy also aims in promoting solar powered electricity and non-electricity-based livelihood applications such as solar dryer for farm produce, solar powered cold storage, solar desalination, solar charkha etc.
The plan will support financial assistance (capital subsidy) and innovative business models like community solar subscription, Pay-as-you-go, revenue linked EMI schemes etc. to target rural demand for residential and farming needs
The policy envisions solar plants to be installed on government land, private land and on water bodies including dams and canals. For this, the government will take necessary steps in identifying government and private land and convert them into land banks for deployment of solar energy plants.
The Jharkhand Renewable Energy Development Agency (JREDA), will engage in the identification and aggregation of Government lands, private lands, and canal tops in accordance with the provisions of this Policy.
