Power firms offer sugar industry warehouse space in exchange for setting up solar plants

PUNE The sugar industry in Maharashtra has been offered a proposal by private solar power firms, wherein, if the sugar factories allow the setting up of solar panels for power generation, the power firms will give them warehouses to store sugar in return

PUNE The sugar industry in Maharashtra has been offered a proposal by private solar power firms, wherein, if the sugar factories allow the setting up of solar panels for power generation, the power firms will give them warehouses to store sugar in return.

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This push by solar power firms was revealed by deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar in a meeting at the Vasantdada Sugar institute on Tuesday, held to review various proposals before the sugar industry.

Pawar said, “Now some private firms have given the proposal to promote solar energy in rural areas. Most of the factories are in rural areas do not have enough storage space. These industries offer to create storage free of cost, in exchange for allowing them to erect solar panels in the sugar factories.”

Pawar did not disclose further the details of the proposal, but said, “We have asked experts in the field to study the proposal.”

A senior officer at the institute, on condition of anonymity said, “It is good that solar energy will be generated. These companies can also sell the energy and get revenue. It is good to save costs for all.”

Pawar also said that the Vasantdada institute’s new campus is coming up in the Marathwada region, to help sugarcane farmers from Marathwada learn new techniques in sugarcane farming.

Pawar said, “There are many issues with sugar industries as rates are low and production is high. The sugar industry is doing a lot of experiments to get higher rates for farmers.”

Pawar added, “Earlier, sugarcane was only used for making sugar. Now the sugar industry has added many components like ethanol, molasses, distilleries and is creating other by-products.”