“Gujarat is set to become global hub for renewable energy”
“Just 0.01% of land can produce 10,000 MW of solar energy”
– Narendra Modi
Gandhinagar, Monday: Even as Gujarat has attracted global attention for its proactive energy policies and implementation, Chief Minister Narendra Modi today expressed his resolve to make the state a global hub for renewable energy.Inaugurating a seminar on non-conventional energy jointly organized by Government of Gujarat, Government of Denmark and Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) at Mahatma Mandir here, he said that a strategic planning for renewable energy could be synonymous with climate justice for the generation next.
The Chief Minister said that just 0.01 per cent of the State’s land can produce 10,000 MW of solar energy. Blessed by sunrays as it is, Gujarat is setting up country’s first 500 MW Solar Park here. There is a huge potential for developing wind power along its 1,600-km coastline. Gujarat has taken up a pilot project to save one-crore litre of water from one MW of solar energy. Gujarat is exploring generating power from solar panels and hydro turbines to be installed on 25-km Narmada Canal. Government of India has accorded Gujarat’s capital at Gandhinagar as a Model Solar City.
He said that it is not enough to produce energy, but also saving and management of energy through effective transmission and distribution systems, being experimented in agriculture and industry.
Mr. Modi said that his book titled ‘Convenient Action’ explains how a simple but effective water management system has brought about a water revolution of sorts in the state, increasing the underground water table in the process.
He said that Gujarat Government has entered into an agreement to buy 1,000 MW of solar power, as 4,500 million units of electricity can be produced from 2225 MW of wind energy, saving 3-million tones of coal and emission of 4.5-million tones of carbon dioxide.
Gujarat Government is the first in the country and fourth in the world to start a separate department of climate change, as well generate energy from biomass and tidal waves.
Describing Gujarat’s cooperation with Denmark in the field of renewable energy as the starting of a success story, the latter’s Ambassador Fredie Swane expressed happiness at Gujarat’s not just planning new projects but also implementing them. When Mr. Swane mentioned Gujarati people as smart and clever, Mr. Modi said that only smart and clever people like smart and clever people.
Mr. Swane said that Gujarat has the potential to be a model for energy efficient technology. Taking a cue from Gujarat’s success, he said that just as there is Planning Commission in Government of India there should be an Implementation Commission, too.
Prominent among those present at the seminar included Minister of State for Energy Saurabh Patel, Principal Secretary Energy J. Pandian, Principal Secretary Industries Maheshwar Sahu and energy experts from Denmark and other places.
