NTPC Ltd, India’s largest power generating company, is all set to play a major role in the renewable energy sector. The company, which is presently setting up two wind energy projects in Karnataka and one in Gujarat, is looking for more wind and solar energy projects in Karnataka, Kerala and Gujarat.
“We are in talks with the Karnataka government for allotment of more sites for setting up wind energy projects in addition to two ongoing projects. We have identified Belgaum district for setting up more wind energy projects, and Bijapur and Gulbarga for solar energy projects,” a NTPC official said.
The company plans to set up another 100 Mw wind energy project in Belgaum district. It has selected Bailhongal, Saundatti taluks, which has good potential for wind stations. “Karnataka has very good potential for generating wind and solar energy. We are waiting for the Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Ltd (KREDL) to allot land in Belgaum district to set up new wind mills,” he said.
The Central government has allotted 105 Mw of capacity in solar energy to NTPC. It is planning to set up 100 Mw capacity solar photovoltaic power projects in Karnataka and has identified a few places in Bijapur and Gulbarga districts. It has also identified 1,000 acres land at Mulwad in the Bijapur district. The Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) will be acquiring the land, the official said.
He said the company was yet to prepare the detailed project report for its solar power projects and the investment required would be known only after the DPR is prepared.
NTPC has a target of developing 1,000 Mw of power from wind and solar power projects by 2017. It has already started work on setting up a windmill with a capacity of 36 Mw at Maduragudda in Hassan district and which power purchase agreement was signed in February this year with state Escoms. Their second and the largest windmill with a capacity of 100 Mw would be set up at Guledagudda in Bagalkot district, which the PPA was signed on Wednesday with the state Escoms.
In addition to wind and solar energy, NTPC is also looking into projects in biomass and small hydro stations in state.
The company plans to bundle both its thermal and wind energy and sell it to the state government at an attractive rate, the official said adding that details of power cost would be worked out at a later stage.
Presently, the KIADB is in the process of acquiring land for NTPC’s 4,000 Mw super critical ultra mega power plant at Kudgi in Bijapur district.
