Modi’s Innovative Solar Energy Initiative by Using Narmada Canals

Just as Modi’s critics go on ad nauseum with their mindless criticism, he goes on working on ways to improve the lot of his people and state. Not only is he pragmatic and not prone to unnecessary Government – he is also pretty innovative. Or rather he has created an atmosphere in his state such that innovative ideas see the light of the day!

Among the brilliant ones is this new initiative to develop Green energy in Gujarat. So what is this initiative exactly?

Well, Gujarat is all set to become the first state in the country to generate solar power through panels mounted on a water body.

Installation of panels on the canal will help in doing away with the need to acquire land. Evaporation of lakhs of litres of water will be prevented since the canal will be covered. And will generate clean energy. Generated solar power will be supplied to villages alongside the canal, which will lead to lower transmission losses and also helping to reduce the evaporation of water.

Introducing the initiative he had said in late 2011:

“We now plan to install solar panels on the Narmada canal to generate solar energy. We plan to start by covering 25 km stretch of the canal, which will have the potential to generate 25 MW of power,” he said

The shortage of land for generating the power and the difficulty in obtaining the land by the Government has made his Government think of new ways to address this.

“The main canal is so big that we cannot do anything over it and the minor canals are so small that we cannot do much on them too. But sub- and branch-canals can be used,” he said.

“The experiment to cover the canals with solar panels (for power generation) is proving to be a success.

Initial estimate shows that by covering one km of canals by solar panels, one megawatt of energy can be generated,” he said.

As one can see the work has already started and is in full swing.

Now only if the rest of the politicians in the country could be half as resourceful, honest and good in governance as Modi, things could change in India dramatically!