State to generate power from wheat, paddy stalks: Minister

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 14

Minister of State for Renewable Energy Nayab Singh Saini said a bio-plant would be set up to generate power from stalks of paddy and wheat. Also, the plant would help in providing employment to the jobless.

He said the Haryana Solar Energy Policy-2016 had been formulated for creating conducive environment for investment in the field of solar energy. “Many agreements have been signed with various entrepreneurs for investment in this field. Under the policy, besides the targets of the Renewable Energy Purchase Obligation of Renewable Energy Department, consumers are being encouraged to install plants on rooftops to generate solar energy,” he said.

He said to encourage green and clean power generation by using solar energy, four power purchase agreements of 23 megawatt solar energy and for the allocation of 13 projects for generating 165 megawatt solar energy, had been signed with independent power producers.

Meanwhile, Saini said solar energy water pumping systems were being set up to meet the irrigation needs of the farmers and during the current financial year, 500 solar water pump sets would be established by providing state and Central subsidy at the rate of 30 per cent each.

Indian Oil outlets to sell solar energy products

Karnal: Minister of State for Renewable Energy Nayab Singh Saini today said that the government would establish retail counters to sell solar and LED products at each filling station of the Indian Oil, so that the energy could be saved. While inaugurating an outlet at a filling station of the Indian Oil in Gharaunda, Saini said that under the Haryana Solar Power Policy-2016, the government had decided to rope in Indian Oil to establish outlets at each of their filling station. He, accompanied by HAFED chairman Harvinder Kalyan, said: “The department has been motivating the consumers to popularise the solar power and has set a target to produce 200 MW electricity by installing rooftop equipment for it.”