Kundapur : India’s first Solar HCPV power plant inaugurated at Kollur Deputy Chief Minister K S Eshwarappa has said that the government is chalking out plans to overcome the shortage of power, in the state.

Speaking after inaugurating the first Solar HCPV power plant in India and LED street lights at Kollur on Wednesday, he said that it is inevitable for the state to depend upon thermal plant to generate electricity. There is also shortage of coal, for thermal power plants.

He urged Union Power Minister Veerappa Moily to help the state, by allotting coal blocks to run the thermal power plants. “Political differences should not hinder the interest of the state. Moily is a minister from Karnataka and he should work for the well being of the state and to get projects for the state,” he added.

Eshwarappa said, despite making attempts to generate sufficient power, the state is still facing acute shortage. “There is a need to produce additional power to overcome the problem. The NTPC is taking more time than expected to complete the project of 4000 MW power station at Kodgi in Bijapur,” he added.

He urged the NTPC to hasten the work.

Lauding the newly introduced solar power plant at Kollur, the minister said that the government will take measures to introduce similar projects in Gram Panchayats, CMCs and TMCs.Earlier, the Deputy Chief Minister participated in ‘Chandika Yaga,’ at the Kollur Mookambika temple.

First of its kind

The Solar HCPV power plant at Kollur is first of its kind in India, and is built at a cost of Rs 13.57 lakh. The high concentrated solar power plant with triple junction solar chips reflects over modules of sunlight to transform it into solar energy.

The use of frenal lens in the technology has increased the efficiency of the plant up to 36 per cent as against the usual 14 to 16 per cent efficiency. It works from 6 am to 8 pm with dual axis sun tracker. It generates around three to four units of solar power.

The technology is introduced by Enolar Systems Company in Bangalore in collaboration with Hong Kong-based Meridian Green Energy International Company. Seventy LED street lamps will be lighted using solar energy, in Kollur.

Meridian Green Energy International Company Hong Kong Director (Worldwide) Girish said that plans are on to introduce vertical axis wind turbine technology, that adds 700 watts turbine, that can generate four to five additional units besides working for all 365 days. This project would cost an additional Rs 4.5 lakh investment, he said. ( DHNS )