As on 30-06-2023, Ministry has sanctioned 50 Solar Parks of cumulative capacity37.99 GW under the scheme for “Development of Solar Parks and Ultra-Mega Solar Power Projects”. Against this sanction, 11 Solar Parks with aggregate capacity of 8.521 GW have been completed and 7 Solar Parks with aggregate capacity of 3.985 GW have been partially completed.

1.70 lakh Acres of land have been acquired and development thereof is in progress.

The power generation installed capacity in the country is 421.9 GW as on 30-06- 2023; whereas the peak demand till date has been 223.25 GW.

The amount of land required for installing solar projects varies based on various factors like technology used, plotting and contiguity of land etc. However, an average of four acres of land is required to set up 1 MW capacity.

Renewable Energy projects are implemented largely through private investments and land acquisition is undertaken by the respective project developers as required. Land is under the purview of respective State Governments; and they are required to remove the hurdles in land acquisition.

Some parks, which were initially sanctioned and subsequently cancelled due to issues like forest clearance (e.g., Kaza and Kinnaur Solar Parks in Himachal Pradesh), Coastal Regulation Zone clearance (e.g., West Bengal Solar Park, Dholera Ph-II Solar Park in Gujarat), etc.

Ministry has been following up with concerned State Governments to allot barren land free of all encumbrances and not falling under zones such forest, coastal etc.

Under Mode-8 of the Solar Park Scheme, a facilitation charge of Rs. 0.05/unit is provided to the State/UT Governments for the quantum of power being exported outside the State from the projects in the park, for facilitating in acquisition of land and for obtaining required statutory clearances.

This information was given by The Union Minister of New Renewable Energy & Power Sh. R. K. Singh in Lok Sabha in a written reply today.

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AM/DP