Punjab harnesses Sun & Agri-Waste for greener tomorrow
PEDA's efforts in energy efficiency & green energy earned National recognition, says Arora
Punjab Newsline, Chandigarh-
Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA) is steering Punjab towards clean energy leadership by harnessing agri-waste & solar power. Now, the sun powers homes & farms; agri-waste fuels clean energy. In 2025, PEDA turned policy into power, engineering a quantum leap in Punjab's sustainable future, said Aman Arora, Minister for New and Renewable Energy Sources, Punjab, while reflecting on the transformational progress in renewable sector during 2025.
Aman Arora informed that Punjab’s relationship with the sun deepened this year as a Ground-Mounted Solar Power Project of 4 MW capacity has been commissioned in July 2025 at village Bhagi Bandar in Bathinda and two Solar Power Projects, each of 4 MW capacity, are under implementation at Kothe Malluana and Shergarh in Bathinda. PEDA has also installed 16 grid-connected agricultural pumps on the Peerkot feeder in Bathinda district to make the agriculture sector free from carbon footprints and 4 additional pumps are under installation.
PEDA has also installed 4,850 off-grid standalone solar water pumps at various locations across the State. As many as 277 villages have been identified to transform them into self-reliant energy hubs under Model Solar Village Scheme. 2.6 MW of Rooftop Solar Power Plants have also been installed on 148 Government Buildings this year and over 4,169 solar street lights are illuminating 299 villages, fostering safety and community life after dusk. Additionally, 1,221 solar street lights are under installation in 65 villages, he added.
Sharing impactful story being written in the fields, the Cabinet Minister said that 57 Compressed Biogas (CBG) Projects having total capacity 822 Ton CBG Per Day have been allocated. These projects once commissioned shall consume over 27 lacs ton paddy straw annually. Six CBG projects of total capacity 107.48 TPD CBG are operational. Five upcoming Compressed Bio-Gas plants and a major bio-ethanol facility in Bathinda are poised to consume over 3.3 lakh tonnes of paddy straw annually. This isn’t just waste management; it’s the creation of a circular economy where agricultural residue powers progress and clears the environment. Punjab is building a diverse and resilient energy infrastructure. The pioneering 40 MW Canal-Top Solar project will conserve land and water while generating power. A 14 MW Co-generation plant at Batala Sugar Mills and a 2 MW Mini Hydel project in Dhariwal showcase a commitment to leveraging every renewable resource, he added.
PEDA's efforts in energy efficiency & green energy have earned national recognition. PEDA was conferred with the 2nd Prize in the State Performance Award (Group-3) under NECA 2025, presented by Hon’ble President Smt. Droupadi Murmu, said Aman Arora.
CM Bhagwant Singh Mann led Punjab government’s relentless focus has forged a new path, where energy conservation, farmer prosperity and environmental stewardship converge, Aman Arora added while stating, “True progress is felt. It’s in the farmers whose irrigation costs have plummeted, in the village square lit by the solar lights and in the air we breathe, growing cleaner. We are powering a brighter, greener and more prosperous Punjab for generations to come. This is our promise.”
Administrative Secretary New & Renewable Energy Sources Dr. Basant Garg said that Punjab is no longer just adopting renewable energy. it is integrating it into the very fabric of its development. Each project is a calculated step toward energy self-reliance, economic resilience and a cleaner environment.