Srinagar, May 20: Against the potential of 1, 11,000 megawatts, the state has harnessed only 6.86 MW of solar power in the last year, amounting to 0.006 percent of the renewable energy generation potential.
This is despite the fact that JK has the second highest potential to harness solar energy.
Previously a study conducted by the National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE) said the Jammu and Kashmir has solar power potential of 111.05 GWp.
JK’s solar power harnessing potential is considered as the second highest in the country after Rajasthan where the potential is 142.32 GWp.
The union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy in its report has revealed that 6.86 MW of solar power as on Feb 28, 2018 was generated in JK.
As per the year-wise figures about generation of solar energy, J&K could not generate even single unit of solar energy during 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16.
Less than 0.89 Million Units (MU) were generated till November 2016.
The Green World Investor, an online portal covering developments related to renewable energy, placed J&K on 26th spot among 37 states last year on the basis of solar energy generation.
The union renewable energy ministry reports highlights that other states which have far less potential as compared to Jammu and Kashmir have been able to generate several hundreds of million units of electricity from solar energy.
The report reads that states like Bihar has generated 142.5 MW and Chattisgarh solar power generation stands at 177.97 MW, which is manifold higher than JK.
Keeping in view solar energy potential particularly in Ladakh region, some years back the union government had sanctioned two projects-one each for Leh and Kargil to generate 7500 Mega Watts of solar power and even a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Union Ministry of new and renewable energy and science and technology ministry of Jammu and Kashmir.
Thereafter, the State Cabinet accorded formal sanction for setting up of two Ultra Mega Solar Power Projects and even a high-level coordination committee was constituted to give practical shape to the projects.
“Despite lapse of several years no progress was seen on it”, sources said.
An official from the Jammu and Kashmir Energy Development Agencies (JAKEDA), said that the project was underway and has been hit due to expensive cost of the evacuation of power from Ladakh.
“The harnessing of solar power on a large scale in Ladakh is possible only after suitable and cost effective arrangements for evacuation of power. Besides State has also formulated Solar Power Policy under which these projects will be completed in a phased manner,” he said.