Maharashtra is expanding its solar energy generation

The Sakhari solar plant for which inverters and modules are being imported from Germany and China, is expected to start power generation on its completion in March 2012, a MahaGenco spokesman said. "Plans are also afoot to set up solar power plant in Osmanabad in Marathwada region," he said.

A feasibility survey of the three regions of Vidarbha, Khandesh and Marathwada has shown that unlike Western Maharashtra and Konkan, they enjoy a plentiful of sunshine for eight months in a year with a scorching sun in the summers to aid solar power generation.

"Since setting up of solar power plants require a larger space as compared to thermal and other plants, to house solar panels, efforts are being made to acquire unused barren government land in these regions to boost the non-conventional energy generation programme in the state," officials said.