India to add 2,000 MW of solar energy

The evolving sector needed constant monitoring to ensure that the momentum it generated in the sector is sustained, he said at industry event Solarcon 2011 in Hyderabad on Wednesday.

The policy projected 20 gw by 2022. There is interest from private parties and state governments too. The developers would be finalised by the end of this month and the power purchase agreements would be signed next month, he said.

As of October, the installed solar power capacity in the country stood at at 125 MW. “India may add 2,000 MW solar power to its total power generation by 2013,” he said adding that 400 MW projects were likely to be ready by end of this fiscal. At present, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Karnataka are making big strides in the segment.

Mahagenco was setting up 120 MW, Tata Power and Reliance were setting up 40 MW each to meet their renewable purchase obligation. According to him, when the policy was launched it was 5 MW fixed capacity given for each project and now that has been enhanced to 20 MW per project. This is expected to help financing the project, he said.

For the second batch of bidding, about 220 companies have applied offering 2,500 MW projects though the bids were for 350 MW.