Bihar Targets Leading Position in Renewable Energy Sector
POWER & RENEWABLE ENERGY

Bihar Targets Leading Position in Renewable Energy Sector

Bihar is seeking to establish itself as a leading state in the renewable energy sector, with rising investor interest and several projects in the pipeline, Energy Minister Shailesh Kumar said at the Bharat Renewable Energy Summit and Expo in New Delhi. He said the state government had sanctioned key projects under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) scheme.

The government plans to segregate and solarise approximately 2,500 electricity feeders across Bihar, according to Kumar. The state is also developing a 1,600 MW pumped storage project in Nawada and a 500 MW battery energy storage project. Similar projects have been undertaken in Kajra, where the government is pursuing additional storage capacity.

Projects totalling 2,900 MW have been taken up under the PM-KUSUM scheme, Kumar said. The programme aims to reduce diesel dependence in agriculture and increase farmers' incomes by encouraging the adoption of solar energy. The central government provides subsidies of up to 30 or 50 per cent of the total cost for standalone solar pumps and for solarising existing grid-connected agricultural pumps.

The scheme also permits farmers to establish grid-connected solar power plants of up to 2 MW on barren or fallow land. Electricity generated by these plants can be sold to local power distribution companies, or DISCOMs, at tariffs set by state regulators. Kumar said several investors were coming forward to participate in Bihar's renewable energy sector, while the state government was supporting investments through land allocation and other assistance.

The minister's comments indicate that Bihar's renewable energy plans cover distributed solar generation, feeder solarisation and large-scale storage. The combination of central subsidies and state facilitation is intended to expand clean power access in rural areas while creating opportunities for private investment. The projects announced or highlighted by the state include both agricultural applications and utility-scale infrastructure.

Bihar is seeking to establish itself as a leading state in the renewable energy sector, with rising investor interest and several projects in the pipeline, Energy Minister Shailesh Kumar said at the Bharat Renewable Energy Summit and Expo in New Delhi. He said the state government had sanctioned key projects under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) scheme. The government plans to segregate and solarise approximately 2,500 electricity feeders across Bihar, according to Kumar. The state is also developing a 1,600 MW pumped storage project in Nawada and a 500 MW battery energy storage project. Similar projects have been undertaken in Kajra, where the government is pursuing additional storage capacity. Projects totalling 2,900 MW have been taken up under the PM-KUSUM scheme, Kumar said. The programme aims to reduce diesel dependence in agriculture and increase farmers' incomes by encouraging the adoption of solar energy. The central government provides subsidies of up to 30 or 50 per cent of the total cost for standalone solar pumps and for solarising existing grid-connected agricultural pumps. The scheme also permits farmers to establish grid-connected solar power plants of up to 2 MW on barren or fallow land. Electricity generated by these plants can be sold to local power distribution companies, or DISCOMs, at tariffs set by state regulators. Kumar said several investors were coming forward to participate in Bihar's renewable energy sector, while the state government was supporting investments through land allocation and other assistance. The minister's comments indicate that Bihar's renewable energy plans cover distributed solar generation, feeder solarisation and large-scale storage. The combination of central subsidies and state facilitation is intended to expand clean power access in rural areas while creating opportunities for private investment. The projects announced or highlighted by the state include both agricultural applications and utility-scale infrastructure.

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