South Eastern Coalfields invests ₹1000 Cr to develop 600 MW solar projects

Coal India Ltd. has established the audacious goal of achieving net-zero status by installing 3000 MW of renewable energy projects by 2026.

The goal of South Eastern Coalfields Ltd. (SECL), one of Coal India Ltd.’s largest coal-producing subsidiaries, is to achieve “Net Zero Energy” by developing 600 MW of rooftop and ground-mounted solar power projects over the next few years. The approach is consistent with the more general “Panchamrit” objective of achieving Net Zero Emissions by 2070, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi proclaimed during CoP-26. At a cost of more than ₹1000 crores, SECL, a Miniratna PSU, intends to develop the aforementioned projects. RESCO/BOO (Build-Own-Operate) mode would be used for some of these projects implementation.

In the operating SECL zones, which are spread out over Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, solar power projects totalling more than 180 MW are already in various stages of development. It recently put into operation rooftop solar installations with a 580 kWp capacity in the areas of Johilla, Jamuna-Kotma, and Kusmunda.

The highest capacity rooftop solar project in the entire firm, Johilla Area’s capacity when it was first put into service was approximately 280 kWp. The SECL-run Kendriya Vidyalaya, the Regional Hospital, and the Area’s Guesthouse all have solar panels installed. The Administrative Building’s GM office also has solar panels. Around 4,20,000 units of electricity would be produced by the project, which will result in a yearly power cost savings of roughly ₹21 lakh.

Each of the two currently being implemented largest solar projects has a capacity of 40 MW. On the company’s property in the Bhatgaon and Bishrampur sections of Chattisgarh’s Surajpur district, a 40 MW ground-mounted, grid-connected solar PV facility is being built. The project is currently in the implementation stage and is most likely to be put into service this fiscal year. The company is also putting the finishing touches on a project report for the construction of a second 40 MW ground-mounted solar PV facility in Madhya Pradesh’s Johilla region. A floating solar power plant at the Sharda OC mine in the Sohagpur Area of Madhya Pradesh is also being examined, and SECL has also released a tender for a 4 MW rooftop solar project. 

As part of a larger strategy to lessen the company’s carbon impact and move towards a more sustainable future, Coal India Ltd. has established the audacious goal of achieving net-zero status by installing 3000 MW of renewable energy projects by 2026. Recently, Coal India and Sutlej Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited (SJVNL) joined together to look into suitable locations for pumped storage power (PSP) projects inside of its closed mines.

In FY 2022–2023, SECL produced around one-fourth of all the coal produced by CIL. To lessen the carbon impact of coal mining and move closer to the objective of net zero carbon emissions, it is encouraging renewable energy. The company is working to match its power requirements for coal mining and related activities with the electricity produced by the aforementioned projects.