Latest news with #TNGECL
New Indian Express
5 days ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
12 firms file applications for small hydel projects, five under evaluation: TNGECL
CHENNAI: A couple of months after the Tamil Nadu Green Energy Corporation Limited (TNGECL) invited applications to develop Small Hydel Projects (SHPs) in the state, the agency has so far received 12 proposals from private developers, officials said. The capacities of each of these SHPs, which can be set up across canal systems, rivers and streams without having to build any structures for storing the water, can range from 100 kilowatts (KW) to 10 megawatts (MW), with each unit in an SHP not exceeding 5 MW. TNGECL managing director Dr Aneesh Sekhar told TNIE that the government is encouraging private participation in SHPs to boost renewable energy production. 'Of the 12 proposals, five are currently under evaluation. However, no project has been finalised yet. Approvals will be granted after detailed evaluation and site inspections,' he said. While TNGECL has not completed any SHPs so far, a 20 MW project is nearing completion in Namakkal district. 'Most of the work is over and the plant will begin power generation soon,' Sekhar added. Tamil Nadu had released a policy for SHP late last year. 'Based on the policy, we are now processing applications. Private firms with access to water sources can apply to set up these plants,' another senior official said. He said the firms can generate power for their own use (captive use), sell it to third parties within the state, or supply to distribution companies to help meet the Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) targets set by the Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission (TNERC). While the RPO set for 2024-25 was 29%, Tamil Nadu managed only around 26 %. The state has an installed hydropower capacity of 2,321.90 MW, but SHPs have so far received limited focus. In contrast, neighbouring Karnataka is actively promoting such projects, the official added.
The Hindu
26-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Residents lament delay in identifying land to set up EV charging stations
: Residents have raised complaints about the delay in identifying government land for setting up electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in the city. Anna Nagar resident T. Selvaraj said they had met Chennai Corporation councillors and urged them to facilitate the identification of lands. 'Those in possession of electric vehicles are facing numerous problems because of the inadequate number of charging stations set up by private companies in the city. We have to drive long distances to get the vehicle charged. We will save time if the GCC sets up the facilities in each neighbourhood of every ward in all 15 zones,' he said, adding that they had asked the councillors to resolve the problem. Federation of North Chennai Residents' Welfare Association president T.K. Shanmugam said EV charging stations had not been set up by private agencies in north Chennai. 'My electric vehicle slows down after a few kilometres. But there are no charging stations in our area. We have to cover long distances to access the facility in areas such as Madhavaram and Tondiarpet. Daily wage labourers save money by opting for electric vehicles. If the GCC sets up EV charging stations, poor residents of north Chennai will benefit from them,' he said. GCC councillor T.V. Shemmozhi said he held a meeting with GCC officials on Saturday in the presence of the MLA to discuss the installation of EV charging stations in Chennai Corporation parks. 'The officials have agreed to set up the facilities in parks such as Park,' he said. 'Residents want the charging stations to start functioning without any delay. When the private sector fails, they turn to the elected representatives to fulfill their needs,' he added. In the past few months, the Tamil Nadu Green Energy Corporation Limited (TNGECL) has been holding talks with agencies such as the GCC to set up EV charging stations in parks, parking lots, and playgrounds. However, officials have also pointed to the lack of income of fuel pump operators who have set up the stations in some areas of the city. TNGECL Managing Director Aneesh Sekhar said government lands at 15 locations have been identified in the city to set up the facility under the Public-Private Partnership model. 'Work on this revenue sharing model for charge point operators on government land is in the advanced stages. We have done the feasibility study. The final approval is yet to come. This is a quick win to set the ball rolling. We have also written to all local bodies and land-owning agencies to identify land for the operators. We have a long way to go,' he said.
New Indian Express
10-05-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Tamil Nadu Green Energy Corporation to ramp up solar power to meet 50K MW target
CHENNAI: In a significant move towards a greener future, the Tamil Nadu Green Energy Corporation Limited (TNGECL) is planning to increase solar power generation and introduce Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) to meet its Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) by 2030. TNGECL Managing Director Aneesh Sekhar told TNIE that Tamil Nadu currently has an installed solar power capacity of nearly 10,000 megawatts (MW). 'We have enough land to add about 12,000 MW more. However, even that will not be sufficient. Our target is to reach at least 50,000 MW of solar power capacity by 2030,' he said. However, land acquisition has emerged as a major hurdle. 'For every 1 MW of solar power plant, nearly three acres of land is needed. Tamil Nadu has very little wasteland left, as most areas have been converted for housing, farming or industrial use,' Sekhar explained. He also pointed out the limitations of wind power, which is not available throughout the year.
New Indian Express
29-04-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Green power goal up, but TN has not even met last year's target
CHENNAI: Signalling the centre's strong push towards clean energy adoption, the Ministry of Power has revised the Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) target for Tamil Nadu to 33.01% for the financial year 2025-26, marking a jump from last year's target of 29.91%. However, the Tamil Nadu Green Energy Corporation Limited (TNGECL) has failed to meet the previous year's RPO target, as it managed to achieve only around 26% in FY 2024-25, sources said. According to officials, the final figure will be confirmed after an audit. Speaking to TNIE, a senior official said the increased target reflects the centre's commitment to encourage green energy use. 'The state is required to source nearly 33% of its total electricity consumption from renewable sources,' the official said. The official, however, pointed out that TNGECL depends entirely on private wind and solar projects to meet the RPO targets as it does not have its own power generation facilities. 'We have received applications for wind power projects totalling approximately 7,000 MW. Additionally, a few ongoing projects are expected to be completed soon,' the official noted. TNGECL is also planning to enter into new agreements with the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) to buy solar power during the current fiscal year. Last year, the corporation procured 1,000 MW from SECI. Highlighting the progress in solar rooftop installations and hydro power, another TNGECL official said, 'Solar rooftop capacity has grown significantly from 54.93 MW in 2022 to 404.18 MW in 2025. We plan to gradually add another 200 MW this year to support the RPO goal,' the official said. On the hydro front, the corporation has increased its total installed capacity from 2,321.90 MW to 2,323.90 MW by upgrading the Moyar Power House in the Nilgiris from 12 MW to 14 MW. 'With these steps, we are hopeful of reaching this year's RPO target,' the official added.
