Asansol (West Bengal), Dec 8 (IANS) The country’s first 2MW solar photovoltaic power plant was commissioned Tuesday at West Bengal’s Seebpur village by Minister for New and Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah, who said the National Solar Mission has fixed a target of adding 1300 MW of solar energy in the next three years.
“We will add 1300 MW of solar energy, including both grid and non-grid supply, in the first phase of our mega scheme of generating 20,000 MW solar power by 2022,” Abdullah said after commissioning the power plant at Seebpur in Jamuria Block near here.

The National Solar Mission aims to add 1300 MW of solar energy by 2012 at a Rs.20,000 crore investment, he said.

The roadmap for implementing the next few phases of the mega scheme will be finalised based on the experience of the first phase, the minister said in Jamuria, about 220 km from Kolkata.

Abdullah called for all-round participation for making the solar mission a success.

He said the Clinton foundation of former US president Bill Clinton has decided to set up two solar thermal projects of 3,000 MW each in Gujarat and Rajasthan.

West Bengal Power Minister Mrinal Banerjee said it would be difficult to attain the solar power generation target if the raw materials used for such plants are not produced in the country.

The Rs.36 crore Seebpur plant, promoted by West Bengal Green Energy Development Corporation Ltd and supported by DPSC Ltd, got a soft loan from Power Finance Corporation at a debt-equity ratio of 70:30.

DPSC will purchase the power at Rs.5 per unit, sources said.

The Ministry for New and Renewable Energy has sanctioned a generation-based incentive of Rs.10 per KW to make the project commercially viable. The plant is expected to produce about 3 million units of electricity annually.