Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA) has issued a request for proposals (RfP) for 15MW of grid-connected solar PV projects on canal tops.
In an RfP document entitled ‘Golden Opportunity – Canal top solar projects – Punjab’, PEDA said the projects would receive government funding of up to 30% of the project costs.
The deadline for submission of e-bids is 23 September this year.
The document stated: “Punjab State has valuable land, which is very costly and in view of that Government lays emphasis for use of irrigation canal network for implementation of SPV Power plant for which extensive irrigation canal network is available.”
For each bid, the bidder can bid for minimum capacity of 2.5MW and maximum capacity of 7.5MW.
Back at the early stages of prime minister Narendra Modi’s solar vision, he incentivised building solar over irrigation ditches and canals in rural areas in order to decrease water evaporation.
Last November India’s canal top and canal bank solar installations had reached 100MW including a 10MW project in Gujarat.
By EB Bureau
