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New Delhi: A Parliamentary panel has asked the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) to revive one MW solar thermal power plant at the National Institute of Solar Energy, saying that the "project led to an infructuous expenditure." A grid-interactive solar thermal power plant, with a capacity of 1 MW at Direct Normal Irradiance (DNI) radiation of 600 W/m2, has been designed, developed and commissioned at the National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE), in collaboration with IIT, Bombay, and other consortium partners. The plant is not functional at present.
In its 61st report on 'Non-Utilisation of Solar Thermal Plant', presented in Parliament on Wednesday, Public Accounts Committee stated that this project led to an infructuous expenditure of Rs 46.26 crore of public money. The panel stated that the feasibility of the project was evaluated objectively and comprehensively, and the loss could have been avoided. "At least now, the MNRE should explore the possibility of reviving the plant at the earliest and make it functional," it recommended.
If the technology adopted could inspire other private companies, the revival of this plant remains a distinct possibility
The committee noted that by way of studying the technology of this plant, three other similar projects (two in Rajasthan and one in Andhra Pradesh) have been set up and are running successfully. It opined that if the technology adopted could inspire other private companies, the revival of this plant remains a distinct possibility.
The panel urged that instead of using this plant as a mere demonstration project for R&D, efforts need to be made for studying the technology used in other plants of similar nature that are being run successfully to revive the plant.
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