Biggest Solar Park to Be Set Up With Farmers' Blessings.

Farmers in drought-prone Chitradurga are preparing to tap solar energy in a big way to satiate the energy needs of the State with a 5,000 MW mega solar energy park. This will be the biggest in the State when completed.

The project, envisaged by a private agency, Renewable Energy Development Trust (RED-T), with the participation of farmers as partners, needs 40,000 acres spread over 16 villages, which include Siddavanahalli, Sondekere, Chikkamadure, Hirimadure, Mallappanahalli and Sanikere.

With land acquisition for such mega projects posing the biggest hurdle all over the country, under the proposed project, farmers need not sell their land and can continue to cultivate the lands as RED-T will take the land on a monthly rent of Rs 1,800 per acre. “The solar panels will be installed 10 feet above the ground level that will allow the farmers to continue their cultivation below the panels,” said H R Kulakarni, convener of

RED-T.

About eight acres of land will be needed for generation of one MW of solar power and already, agreements have been inked for 6,000 acres of land involving about 400 farmers. The first phase of the project will install a 1,000-MW plant spread over 8,000 acres of land. Work on putting up a pilot plant of 10 MW spread over 80 acres of land will be started soon, Kulakarni told Express.

As for cost of the project, it has been estimated at Rs 45,000 crore at Rs 9 crore per MW. Many industries and commercial firms have expressed keen interest to invest, Kulakarni claimed.

Farmer-friendly

Apart from paying Rs 1,800 as rent per month for each acre of land, RED-T has also promised to take up rain harvesting works and digging water soak pits in the arid area for rejuvenation of ground water. The agreement also requires the firm to install drip irrigation network in the region and encourage community farming by providing one power tiller for every 40 acres and one mini tractor for every

200 acres.

The project at Chitradurga, when completed, will be much bigger than the 2,000 MW mega solar power plant being implemented at Pavagada in Tumakuru district, spread over 12,000 acres of dry land.

sneak Peek

■ 5,000 MW Solar Energy Park spread over 45,000 acres

■ 1,000 MW plant in the first phase

■ Work on 10 MW pilot plant to start within a few months

■ Agreement already signed with farmers for 6,000 acres

■ Farmers to get Rs. 1,800 per month as rent per acre

■ Farmers can continue to cultivate the lands below solar panels to be installed at a height of 10 feet.


THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS