Punjab can cater 20% energy demand of country
Committed to promoting investments in new and renewable energy
Punjab Newsline, Chandigarh-
The Punjab Government on Saturday gave a clarion call to investors to tap renewable energy potential in the state as it has enormous opportunities to grow in this area with a capacity to cater 20 percent energy demand of the country.
The session dedicated to ‘Renewable Energy’ carried out deliberations on new and renewable energy sources showcasing the untapped strength of Punjab in this sector.
Addressing the session, Chairman-cum-Managing Director and Power Secretary Dr Basant Garg stated that Punjab government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann is fully committed to encouraging investors. He pointed out that the Union Government had awarded Punjab for its outstanding performance in renewable energy initiatives. Garg announced that the state government had initiated the tender process to install 3000 MW Solar Energy Projects. He added that Punjab State Power Corporation Limited is actively considering to serve as a bridge between farmers and investors, while the government is providing land as well as grid connectivity to facilitate the investors. He further mentioned that it has also begun work in the field of battery energy storage.
Speaking at the session, Verbio's General Manager Ashish Kumar highlighted that Punjab produces approximately 20 million tonnes of paddy stubble annually, which has the potential to meet 20% of the country's energy demand. He emphasized that farmers need to understand that by burning stubble, they are not just setting fire to crop residue but burning their own money. Referring to the recent geopolitical situation involving attacks on Iran by the US and Israel, which caused an LPG gas shortage, he noted a sharp increase in demand for Compressed Biogas supply and stressed the need to develop bio-gas grid connectivity.
Bashir Ahmad Shiraz from Reliance Industries said that if farmers recognize the potential of bio-energy, their lands could turn into gold mines. He called for building not only infrastructure but also a supportive ecosystem for new and renewable energy. He appreciated the Punjab Government's new industrial policy as highly beneficial for the renewable energy sector and expressed Reliance Industries' keen interest in investing in Punjab's new and renewable energy space.
Simranjit Singh from Hartek Infra noted that Punjab has registered significant improvements in the solar energy sector in recent years. He lauded the state's industrial policy and stated that the future belongs to energy. He remarked that while there is a common perception that the next era is that of Artificial Intelligence, in reality, the next era is that of energy because AI and similar technologies can only function if sufficient energy is available.