NAGPUR: Maharashtra Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao today called on the state government to explore unconventional energy from a stretch of 720kms of coastline in the state.
He was speaking at the inaugural function of a 324 KW solar power plant set up by Lokmat Media Pvt Ltd today at industrial estate at Butibori, about 25 kms from the city.
The media house has switched its printing press functioning to solar power through the 324 MW plant.
On the occasion, Rao said the geothermal energy from the sources of both solar and tidal waves will be a great help to state’s coast for the purpose of tourism.
He said about 60 per cent of the total electricity in the country was produced by coal fired plants, while only six per cent is generated through solar power.
All the three Raj Bhawans in state – Mumbai, Nagpur and Pune have switched to solar energy and were producing 15 lakh units, he said.
State energy minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule said the state government has taken up a programme to install solar pumps in the drought affected areas.
About 8,000 agriculture pumps are being installed as a pilot project in the five most affected (farmer) suicide prone districts in Vidarbha region.
Maharashtra will have 10 per cent share of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s plan to generate one lakh MW solar energy, he said.
The state has an average 310 days of Sun radiation, he added.
The media group simultaneously also inaugurated solar energy at its Aurangabad printing unit.
Lokmat group managing director Devendra Darda said both plants are releasing nearly 500 to 600 units of clean green electricity in the transmission per day and on an average generate 2,800 units of clean green electricity, thus preventing release of 1,680 kg of carbon dioxide.
