Gujarat Is The First One To Take Action On Climate Change By Setting Up A Solar Park At Patan

Image via WikipediaBy Chirag R Shah

The applause of thousands of people was heard all over Patan on December 30, with the launch of The Solar Power Park.

Chief Minister Narendra Modi formally launched the work on the power plant which will be set up at Charanka village in Patan district. The 500 MW power plant will be the largest in Asia. Moreover, it is the first ever project in Asia to tackle the problems of climate change.

The park is expected to decrease carbon dioxide emission by eight lakh million tonnes. The project will produce 500 MW of power with the help of renewable energy source, saving the bio fuels like coal and gas.

Gujarat is the first state to take up such a measure. The park will be constructed on the land of 2000 hectare for Phase 1, out of which 1000 hectares is waste land. Moreover, the land acquisition process for the remaining land is still in progress. Works for the transmission of the power produced on the site have been started by Gujarat Energy Transmission Corporation Ltd (GETCO). Earlier, the CM handed over land allotment letters to 15 companies, including Azure Power, GMR Energy and GSPC Pipavav Power Company that are setting up solar power plants in the park.

The solar park is likely to get solar energy for 330 days in a year amounting 5.5 to 6.0 KW per Sq.km solar radiation every day. Gujarat Government has also taken a remarkable move under its new solar power policy by agreeing to buy 933 MW of power. The State Government intends to provide all the resources needed to produce electricity to ensure saving of time and money both for the Government and the energy producers.


According to the plan, plots will be given to the energy developers on a 30-year lease and facilities like water, electricity, roads, rainwater drainage, power transmission facility and others will be extended. Besides solar power plants, the park, to be spread over 2,000 hectare, will also be home to units manufacturing solar power plant panels and other equipment. The project cost is estimated at Rs1,287 crore. Once completed, the park will attract investment of Rs 7,500 crore.

The first phase of the project is expected to go on stream by December 2011. Speaking on the occasion, Shri Narendra Modi said that the heat in Santalpur taluka (where Charanka is located) is considered a bane, but the same heat will become a mint for the area with the solar park. He said that no one was willing to even visit the remote area in the past, but now companies were lining up to set up projects in the same area.

Not only the development of the project and the environment, but the employment aspect of the localities have also been taken into consideration. The Government will provide training to the local youth and help them to get jobs. At the beginning of the launch function, the CM handed over cheques to farmers who had sold their land to the Government for the Narmada canal projects. However, many of the farmers donated the amount to Kanya Kelavani campaign. The companies setting up plants in the park are asked to build up a sun temple in the area and an adjacent lake which could create jobs for the locals. Charanka which is 60 kms away from Pakistan border would be developed as Swarnim Surya Tirth (Golden Sun Pilgrimage).

The solar park will prove as a boon as there are several benefits attached to it. 9 lakh metric tonne coal can be saved by generating power. Reduction in carbon emissions will help in preserving the environment. Shri Narendra Modi exhorted the audience to preserve natural resources for future generations.

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German Wind Power

           Alpha Ventus - Image via WikipediaBy Mark F Weber

Germany is investing in wind power. The country is not only using wind to generate sustainable electricity, but they are a major supplier to global wind turbine systems. This growth requires considerable investment, but Germans are also making emotional decisions to build wind towers in the scenic areas of their beautiful country.

The weather on the North Sea is volatile with perfect blue days and powerful storms. I used to visit an operation in Kiel, just northeast of Hamburg. Whether the day is brilliant or stormy there is a raw beauty to the shoreline so loved by the local seafarers. To Kiel's west, almost to the Dutch border, the North Sea scenery is changing.

Alpha Ventus is a recently-completed wind farm. 12 turbines are in operation 44 kilometers/27 miles off the coast. The project began in 1999, but it took a decade and roughly 220M euro to complete. The project is intended to not only generate electricity, but also to research the challenges operating deep water turbines just over the horizon.

Alpha Ventus joins over 21,000 other German operational wind turbines. Between 2000 and 2009 Germany grew from 6,000 megawatts of wind generated electricity to nearly 26,000 megawatts. This drives 6.5% of the country's electricity.

Wind turbine is a growing German industry that employs nearly 100,000 workers. Germans excel at designing and producing precise and reliable complex equipment. According to the German Wind Energy Association, (BWE),German manufacturers and suppliers captured over a third of the 22 billion euro global wind turbine investment in 2009.

Like most countries, finding the right balance between the economics and sustainability is a not easy for Germany. Alpha Ventus demonstrates they are prepared to make the investment. The challenge is how a country with so much passion for natural beauty can share a horizon with a giant spinning monster. Today, powerful North Sea winds push sailboats by deep water wind turbines. We hope for smooth sailing for both.

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