Kerala mulling to put Secretariat into solar energy fold

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Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 19 : Sitting on Rs 7.4-crore solar energy subsidy cushion from MNES (ministry of non-conventional energy sources), Kerala government is mulling to put its Secretariat under the solar energy fold. This is quite feasible, according to state power minister AK Balan.

"Since at least one hectare is the minimum area for the solar electrification to be economically viable, we are considering bringing the stadium adjacent to the state Secretariat too within the solar energy ambit," Balan told Assembly, here.

Kerala had received Rs 7.4 crore from MNES for rural electrification in 6120 households using solar energy last year. For producing solar energy at the cost of Rs 17 per unit, the state got Centre subsidy upto Rs 12 per unit.

State government has authorised Kinfra - its infrastructure-building organ - to set up a park for making products from non-conventional energy, the minister said. About Rs 15 crore has been earmarked in the state Budget for the next financial year for this backward integration.

Although often identified a costly option for power generation, SPV (Solar Photovoltaic) Programme is found convenient for farflung villages, where the existing grid cannot be extended. While in the remote areas and North-east, MNES allows upto 90% subsidy, in central areas this is only 50%.

The state's non-conventional energy promotion outfit ANERT had prepared the detailed site surveys and DPRs for the rural electrification through SPV programme. By another MNES plan, civic bodies can also undertake promotion of solar energy programmes.