CIL Plans to Generate 20 GW Solar Power in Next 10 Years

We don’t have the land in single size, its of our various subsidiaries which we will use, says CIL Chairman.

As part of its diversification plan, state-owned miner Coal India Ltd (CIL) is targeting to generate about 20,000 MW in next 10 years.

Commenting on the development, Coal India, Chairman and Managing Director, Gopal Singh said, “For Coal India to be sustainable we must diversify. We have already defined our roadmap. We are going in a big way for solar and have set a target of generating 20,000 MW or 20 Gigawatt in next 10 years.”

However, the official did not elaborate on investment plans of the company.

As per the industry estimates, a sum of around Rs 5 crore is required to install 1 MW solar project. “…if you look beyond 2050 the way renewable is coming as a citizen it should be our priority we must switch over to renewables because the global warning is somewhere or the other affecting each and everyone… We must be prepared for it,” Singh said.

He further added that, today coal-based power is the cheapest. Renewable naturally will be costly. But the ways work is being done in renewable the day is bound to come when it will be affordable may be after two or three decades.

Singh also said that the plan will require 40,000 hectares of land and which is already available with the company. “We don’t have the land in single size, its of our various subsidiaries which we will use,” the Chairman added.

Source: PTI