The state of Assam is laying stress on renewable energy, often referred to as clean energy, like the other parts of the country. The conventional source, the non-renewable sources of energy will be now compared with the naturally available renewable ones.
Assam’s solar power potential is estimated at 13,000 Megawatt, Which is much more than the actual energy requirement of the state. The Advantage Assam claims that Assam can produce 680 MW of hydropower.
Assam is very keen to use renewable energy as a source of electricity. In fact, in Assam, several projects are coming up in the public-private partnership mode.
The Assam Power Generation Corporation Limited (APGCL) in the coming days will sign an agreement with Oil India Limited (OIL) to write up a solar power project in Namrup.
A detailed project report for a floating solar power project in Karimganj is also being prepared.
There are many ambitious projects in the pipeline for harnessing solar and hydropower in the state.
In August, it embarked upon an Rs. 10, 000 crore project to augment solar power capacity by 20000 Megawatt in the next three-four years.
This ambitious plan will be implemented riding on the back of two projects- one by forming a joint venture with central Public Sector Undertaking Neyveli Lignite Corporation Limited (NLC) India and another by taking a loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
The state government is also laying stress on setting up small hydropower projects. Among the major projects, the 120 Mega-watt lower Kopili Hydropower project is scheduled to be completed by June 2024.
However, given the bounty of hills and mountains in the state, the setting of wind projects remains doubtful.
Northeast being a green region has a lot of resources like wind, water, and sunlight to use for commercial purposes.
Renewable energy is cheaper, easily available and pollution free. The maintenance cost of renewable energy is much less compared to non-renewable energy.
It comes from natural resources or processes that are constantly replenished. Its availability depends on time and weather. It has been long used for heating, transportation, lighting and more.
But, over the past 500 years or so, it was found that humans increasingly turned to cheaper, dirtier energy resources such as coal and fracked (hydraulic fracturing) gas.
The Government of India is now giving immense stress on renewable energy. Assam is following suit assuming it is guided by regional advantage.
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