Gandhinagar: Gujarat government today announced wind-solar hybrid power policy under which solar power producers are allowed to set up wind power project in same land and use single transmission line for supply of both solar and wind power. Same way, wind power producers will be able to set up solar power project and use same transmission line. According to policy document, power generated under hybrid model will get waiver from electricity duty. In case of third party power sell, cross subsidy surcharge and additional surcharge will attract 50% relief under this policy, while captive power plant will get total waiver from both surcharges. Group captive companies are also allowed to set up hybrid project under this policy which will be effective for five years. Projects approved under this policy will get benefits for upto 25 years.

Giving details of the policy, Minister Saurabh Patel and Minister of State for Energy Pradeepsinh Jadeja it is to promote producing wind and solar power simultaneously and provide assistance, to remain in force for five years. The benefits of the new policy can be accrued for 25 years or till its life or whichever is shorter.

It entails the developers can set up wind power unit on the land meant for existing solar power unit, or vice versa. The transmission line meant for solar power for wind power as well. The policy also allows setting up new wind-solar hybrid power producing unit. The objective of the new policy is optimum utilization of land and grid land for clean energy – a new initiative worth emulating by other states.

The electricity produced from such hybrid wind and solar units will be exempted from electricity duty, allowing land use for dual purposes.

The new policy has provision for 50 per cent exemption from electricity duty for selling the electricity to third party. For hybrid captive plants, it entails total exemption from cross subsidy surcharge and additional surcharge, and 50 per cent relief in wheeling charges and distribution loss.

In case of captive and third party sale can set up 50 per cent consumer section 50 per cent load for solar and 50 per cent for wind. Those who already have third party sale agreement with Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Ltd will continue to have so as per the capacity. New developers can decide the capacity of wind-solar hybrid unit as per the renewable power purchase agreement with the consumer as per their choice. Apart from this, group captive companies can set up hybrid projects for which they will have to invest cent per cent share investment in the same ratio for consumption of the energy.

At present, Gujarat produced approximately 5,500 MW of wind power and 1,600 MW solar power, totalling 7,100 MW of non-traditional energy.

DeshGujarat