NTPC Sets In Motion Commercial Operations Of 15 MW Kawas Solar

State-owned NTPC has started commercial operations of its 15 MW solar capacity at Kawas Solar Project in Gujarat on June 15. A statement released by the company reads, “…second part capacity of 15 MW out of 56 MW Kawas Solar PV Project at Kawas is declared on commercial operation with effect from 00:00 hours of 15.06.2022,”. This takes the standalone installed and commercial capacity of NTPC to 54,666.68 MW, while group installed and commercial capacity of NTPC will become 69,031.68 MW.

The Kawas Solar Project of NTPC

The 56 MW Kawas Solar Power Project in Gujarat is an amalgamation of both ground mounted and floating PV installations.

A few months ago, NTPC and Gujarat Gas Ltd (GGL) had signed an agreement wherein the two decided to blend green hydrogen in Piped Natural Gas (PNG) network of the utility of the Gujarat Government at the very Kawas facility of NTPC. As per the agreement, the NTPC will generate green hydrogen by the process of electrolysis by drawing electricity from the existing 1 MW floating solar project of NTPC.

Recently, NTPC has doubled its renewable energy target from 32 GW to 60 GW of solar and wind power for 2032. Recently, the company has announced plans to sell a stake in its subsidiary NTPC Green Energy (NGEL) that was formed to develop renewable energy projects. The power producer is expected to raise about Rs 2,000 crore from the sale of the stake by this October through a strategic investor or an IPO.

On the renewable front, NTPC has also signed various agreements with the state governments of Rajasthan, Maharashtra for developing renewable projects of 10 GW and 2.5 GW capacity respectively. It has also signed a pact with the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) for the development of 2 GW of renewable energy. As the partner of choice particularly for government owned energy firms, the power firm has its hands full for the next few years even if not all plans necessarily go to fruition.