U.P. has potential to be hub of renewable energy in country: CM
Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath inaugurated a 70 MW solar power project, emphasizing the state's potential as a renewable energy hub and targeting 22,000 MW of green energy.
Inaugurating a 70 MW Avaada solar power project in Banda from his official residence virtually here on Friday, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath said his government was actively developing Ayodhya, Prayagraj, Varanasi and Gorakhpur as solar cities.
He emphasised that Uttar Pradesh has the potential to become a major hub for renewable energy in the country, with Bundelkhand and Vindhya regions offering the greatest potential for solar power generation.
The CM highlighted that the state government was advancing a green energy programme with a target of around 22,000 MW. To support this, UPNEDA has identified a 23,000-acre land bank.
“The state is urgently driving this initiative, aligning with the Solar and Bio Energy Policy-2022 and the Green Hydrogen Policy-2024,” Yogi added.
He described the plant’s inauguration as a milestone in realising investment proposals from the Uttar Pradesh Global Investors Summit, highlighting that it will generate employment for over 400 people.
Yogi also shared that under the PM Surya Ghar Yojana, solar panels are planned for 25 lakh homes across the state, with 18 lakh registrations already completed.
As per the CM, a vast network of canals is available for farmers in the state. “Over the last seven-and-a-half years, under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana, additional irrigation facilities have been extended to 23 lakh hectares of land through these canals,” he said.
Yogi suggested that these canals could also be harnessed for solar energy production, contributing to the state’s energy output.
He encouraged the Avaada Group, which has invested in a solar plant in Banda and a solar panel manufacturing plant in the state, to explore further opportunities in the renewable energy sector within Uttar Pradesh.
“We aim to create 60,000 Solar Mitras in the state. So far, 6,000 Solar Mitras have already been trained. In the coming times, Bundelkhand can become a significant centre of renewable energy,” the CM said.
This initiative will not only generate employment and job opportunities but also reduce our dependence on traditional energy sources, he added.