Bihar Planning to Have 2 GW Solar Power by 2022, says Sushil Modi

The state government is committed to producing 2000 MW (2 GW) of electricity through solar energy by 2022. The two power plants are slated to be commissioned by 2022 and each will produce 350MW of electricity using solar energy.

As decided by the government of Bihar, the power plants situated at Pirpainti in Bhagalpur and Kajra in Lakhisarai will now be solar power plants. Initially, it was proposed that these plants would be coal-based thermal power plants but later the decision was changed to make them solar plants.

Sushil Kumar Modi, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister said that the government is committed to providing clean energy. While speaking at the East India Climate Change Conclave the Minister said, “The two power plants are slated to be commissioned by 2022 and each will produce 350MW of electricity using solar energy.”

“The state government is committed to producing 2000 MW (2 GW) of electricity through solar energy by 2022,” he added.

He highlighted other steps that government is taking to which are environment-friendly and initiatives that would avert climate change. He stated that no brick kilns would be allowed to operate without adopting to clean technologies.

Modi said, “The brick kilns which operate on clean technologies required three tons less coal in producing one lakh bricks as compared to the conventional kilns.”

While speaking about the damage climate change has caused in Bihar he cited the example of maize crop that was lost due to extreme winter condition.

He said “Sprouting could not happen in the standing maize crops due to extreme winter conditions. Consequently, the total maize production went down by 12 lakh metric tonne in 201718, compared to 2016-17. Around 1 lakh farmers in 14 districts were affected by it.”