All 12 major domestic ports will soon switch to renewable energy to meet their entire power requirements, making India the first country to have all government-owned ports running on solar and wind energy. As part of this the government plans to install almost 200 megawatt solar and wind power generation capacity at the ports by 2019.
Almost 150 mw of this will be solar power and 50 mw wind power generation capacity. The capacity could be ramped up to 500 mw in the next few years.
Total initial investment in the project is expected to be Rs 500 crore.
A high-level conference attended by shipping minister, Nitin Gadkari, top officials and chairmen of several port trusts was held at JNPT in Mumbai to discuss the road map of implementing the green ports project.
These renewable energy projects will help in reduction of carbon emission and lead to improvement of environment around the ports.
The government has also decided to meet the power requirements of smart port industrial cities coming up at Kandla Port and Paradip Port to be met through green renewable power sources.
A total of 7 mw of solar projects has already been commissioned at Vishakhapatnam Port, Kolkata Port, New Mangalore Port, VO Chidambaranar Port and Mumbai Port.
Add Comment