Major Indian ports will be setting up solar PV power plants with a cumulative capacity of 82.64 MW for their own consumption, Indian Minister of State for Shipping Pon Radhakrishnan informed the lower house of Indian Parliament.
The initiative is part of the ministry's Green Port Initiative. In January 2016, the ministry launched its Project Green Ports, which has two verticals – the Green Port Initiative and Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Clean India Mission). Under the Green Port Initiative, 12 initiatives are planned, one of which includes setting up projects for energy generation from renewable energy sources.
Out of the total capacity targeted, the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust will be developing the largest capacity of 25 MW, followed by 20 MW at Paradip Port, 15 MW by Vizag Port, 11.19 by New Mangalore Port and 5.5 MW at VO Chidambaranar Port. So far, 6.84 MW solar capacity has been commissioned. By March 2017 or the end of the current fiscal year, 15.8 MW will be commissioned, and a capacity of 37.16 MW is scheduled to be commissioned by 2017-18 and later.
Recently, the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) called for tenders for 10 MW solar PV capacity to be set up at the Paradip Port on behalf of Paradip Port Trust.
Ports are helping the country inch closer to its targeted solar power capacity installation of 100 GW by 2022. These steps will help the ports meet their renewable purchase obligation (RPO), as made mandatory by respective state governments. At the same time, ports will be able to reduce their cost of power purchased from the grid.
These projects are funded by the ports themselves, they do not have any funding support from the Ministry of Shipping.