Indian Armed Forces Now on Solar Mission

---

Researched by Industrial Info Resources India (Delhi, India)--Indian defense forces, who are entrusted with national security and humanitarian services as their primary mission, are now set to join Government of India's National Solar Energy Mission, to promote energy-security and ecologically sustainable growth.

Indian military and paramilitary forces have together committed to add another 300 megawatts (MW) to the rapidly increasing share of solar energy in the country's energy mix, as the Indian government ramps up the nation's solar mission target of adding 20 gigawatts (GW) by 2022 to a massive 100 GW.

India's Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has recently approved more than 300 MW of grid-connected and off-grid photovoltaic solar power projects by defense establishments and paramilitary forces under the National Solar Mission by 2019.

The cabinet gave its approval for "setting up over 300 MW of grid-connected and off-grid Solar PV Power Projects by defense establishments under Defence Ministry and paramilitary forces under Home Ministry with viability gap fund (VGF) under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM) in five years--that is from 2014 to 2019," an official release said.

The cabinet has granted $119 million support from the National Clean Energy Fund (NCEF). The solar power plants that are set up under this scheme would be required to use India-made photovoltaic cells and modules. The use of domestically manufactured equipment would boost indigenous production of solar cells and modules.

The cabinet also granted permission for right to use defense land by the developers chosen by defense establishments, for the purpose of setting up solar power projects and sale of excess power to the distribution companies.

The defense organizations will be free to own the power projects or get a developer who makes the investment and supplies power at a fixed tariff of 9 cents per unit for a period of 25 years, the release added.

Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, three offices in North America and 10 international offices, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Industrial Info's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle™, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities.