Maharashtra to reduce government’s dependence on acquiring land for solar setup and generate electricity from solar panels in dams.
A state-run agency in Maharashtra has come up with a plan to install solar panels in the backwater of two dams to generate electricity.
Jayakwadi dam, located in Aurangabad district of Central Maharashtra, and Ujani dam in Solapur district of Western Maharashtra, will be the sites of the solar power generation project, an official said to PTI.
The Marathwada Statutory Development Corporation (MSDC), a body formed by the state government, has come up with a plan to erect floating solar panels in the backwater of the two dams falling under its jurisdiction.
A study in this regard is in an advanced stage at the Ujani dam, while the Jayakwadi dam was later added to the project, he said. Located in Marathwada, the Jayakwadi dam, built on the Godavari river, is located near the Aurangabad city and is a key source of water to the arid region.
Bhagwat Karad, chairman of MSDC said that similar projects are in operation in Kerala and West Bengal. The corporation has held talks with private companies to find out if they are willing to invest in this project and operate such facilities. Karad strongly believes that such projects will reduce the government’s dependence on acquiring land, which is a long-drawn process, for setting up solar power plants.
