The Uttar Pradesh government has signed memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with the Smart Energy Council of Australia and the Hinduja Group to advance its green energy transition. The state aims to generate 500 gigawatts (GW) of solar energy by 2030 as part of its policy-driven strategy to promote clean power.

The initiative focuses on transforming Bundelkhand, Vindhya, and nearby areas into key solar energy zones. Since 2017, when the state's solar capacity was only 288 megawatts (MW), it has increased tenfold, with ongoing progress under the Solar Energy Policy 2022 and a near-term goal of 2,200 MW.

Key solar parks will be set up in Jhansi, Jalaun, Chitrakoot, Lalitpur, Kanpur City, and Kanpur Dehat. Bundelkhand Expressway is set to become India's first solar expressway. Municipal corporations and regions like Ayodhya and Noida are also being developed as solar cities.

The Solar Mitra Yojana aims to build a skilled workforce, while rooftop installations under PM Surya Ghar Yojana are being aggressively promoted. The rooftop solar target for financial year 2025–26 has been doubled to 265,000 units.

Transmission infrastructure will also be upgraded, with special focus on solar grids along expressways and rail tracks.

Source:Press Trust of India (PTI)