Bihar is set to become India’s 1st State to have 2 Green Energy Efficient towns, the 2 towns are Rajgir & BodhGaya. They will start getting Solar Energy through 1st of its kind Renewable energy project from 2023.

HIGHLIGHTS:

• The green energy supply required for running the towns will be developed and supplied by the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI).

• To implement the project, the state government of Bihar will construct 500 MW solar energy plants at Lakhisarai & Bhagalpur.

• Bihar has opted for a bundle power plan, using solar energy during the day and hydel power through pump storage facility in evening to meet its full requirement of clean power for Rajgir and Bodh Gaya.

• After Rajgir & BodhGaya, many important government offices in Patna like the Governor house, High Court, Museum & Vidhyut Bhawan would also run on green energy supplied by SECI.

Excess Power

The excess solar energy generated by the proposed plants will be used to run the turbines for water supply and other power-driven works.

Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI)

• It is the only CPSU (Central Public Sector Undertaking) dedicated to the Solar Energy Sector. However, at present the mandate of SECI has broadened to cover the entire renewable energy domain.

• It comes under the administrative control of the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE).

• It was set up in 2011 to facilitate the implementation of the National Solar Mission (also known as Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission – JNNSM)