Bundelkhand Expressway To Become UP’s First Solar Expressway

The Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA) has taken the first step towards building the state’s first solar expressway. It recently released a tender seeking developers to undertake this project.

“The Bundelkhand Expressway is set to become the first ‘Solar Expressway’ in Uttar Pradesh. This 296-km-long stretch will have solar panels installed on both sides making it an innovative and sustainable infrastructure project. The Solar Expressway will be part of the state government’s Solar Energy Policy 2022 that aims to achieve a target of 22,000 MW of solar power by 2026-27. The Solar Expressway is part of the government’s commitment to accelerate industrial growth and enhance facilities as well as maintenance in industrial corridors and on highways,” the tender read.

As per the plan the developers will develop solar parks along the Bundelkhand Expressway on a Build, Own and Operate (BOO) model. The department has already earmarked 1700 hectare of land for this project. UPEIDA said that the estimated capacity of the power plants should be around 450 MW to 500 MW.

The tender said that the minimum quantity for which a bid should be submitted is 50 MW. The bid due date for the project is November 15.

“The primary purpose of Solar Expressway is to generate clean renewable energy on roadways and any other surface that can be walked or driven upon. That would include: parking lots, sidewalks, driveways, service roads and the like. The idea is to collect the substantial solar energy which hits these surfaces but is currently not being utilized. In this way, they will have a dual purpose: modern infrastructure and smart power grid Expressway to be lit by solar power and at every 500 metres. This also opens up a whole new market for the solar industry,” it said.

UPEIDA said that it intends to develop Bundelkhand Expressway as Solar Expressway by installing Solar PVs all along the Expressway, using the land between the main carriage-way and the service road. It is envisaged to develop the Solar Expressway in PPP mode.