Tamil Nadu is gearing up to stay ahead in the renewable energy sector. With its long coastline and abundant sunshine, the state has been one of the pioneers and leaders for much of the 21st century. In a new development, the Tamil Nadu Power Generation and Distribution Corporation has drawn up a plan to develop solar power projects to generate a massive 20,000 megawatts of green energy in the state. This capacity is expected to be installed within the next 10 years.

In terms of installed renewable energy capacity, Tamil Nadu is already in the lead. A solar expansion is underway to end the state's reliance on coal-fired thermal power plants. According to reports, Tangedco recently commissioned AECOM India to come up with a detailed project report within four months. AECOM India is a private technology consulting firm. It has begun research on the land and location of substations, transformers, transmission lines and energy storage batteries.

Tamil Nadu leads India's renewable energy exploration

Tangedco wants to end the cycle of coal shortages and massive pollution caused by the use of coal in power plants. Tamil Nadu will first add 4,000 megawatts of solar power and will install energy storage infrastructure in the state. Regional collectors have been instructed to begin identifying and arranging the land needed to develop such solar installations.

The state's electricity minister, Senthil Baiali, has approved a Tangedco policy proposal that would see the state switch from coal to solar. The recent coal shortage and rising pollution levels have forced the Tennessee government to hold high-level meetings with technologists, electrical engineers, environmental engineers, political leaders and bureaucrats to discuss the transition from coal to solar. It was after this meeting that AECOM India was appointed as a feasibility study for the site. Hopes that rooftop solar will get its due in this round of expansion, the state, like most states in India, is far behind the target.

MNRE said that as of January 31, 2022, Tamil Nadu had a total capacity of 15,914 MW, while Karnataka had a total capacity of 15,795 MW. Tamil Nadu and Karnataka are followed by Gujarat (15,517MW), Rajasthan (14,982MW) and Maharashtra (10,629MW).Editor/XingWentao