Japan wants to set up solar city

Japan says it wants to set up at least one solar city in India out of the 34 that the government is planing to develop during the Eleventh Plan Period.

The move is an effort to cut the country’s carbon emissions and promote the use of renewable energy.

A Japanese delegation led by Kazuhio Haraguchi, minister for internal affairs and communications, on Wednesday met Union minister for new and renewable energy Farooq Abdullah and discussed various aspects of cooperation between the two countries in the field of renewable energy.

A total of 34 cities have been approved by the government in states such as Uttar Pradesh, Gujrat, Maharashtra, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Chandigarh.

The ministry of new and renewable energy is providing financial support up to Rs 50 lakh for each solar city to the respective state governments for preparation of a master plan, setting-up institutional arrangements for the implementation of the master plan, awareness generation and capacity building activities.

Further, for two model  solar cities,  financial support of 50% up to a maximum of Rs. 9.50 crore will be available towards the cost of installation of renewable energy systems.

Japan is promoting a Midori no Bunken, which aims at changing centralised society to community-based society to enhance self-sufficiency within a region through maximising natural resources (forest, sea, food, etc) and energy, with emphasis on self-sufficiency.

Midori no Bunken does not rely on electricity generated by others. It focuses on renewable energy like solar, wind, micro hydel and biomass energy. India is looking to get investment and technology from foreign countries to increase the use of renewable energy in India.

According to sources the government is in talks with other developed nations to attract investment in India’s renewable energy sector.

The Indian and the Japanese delegations also agreed to strengthen cooperation in research and development for promoting renewable energy.

As part of the exchange programme, a 10-member delegation from India will participate in the Japan-India New and Renewable Energy Seminar in Tokyo later this month.

The delegation will include representatives from central and state governments and nodal agencies. The government plans to send such delegation to other countries as well.

The proposed solar cities will aim to reduce a minimum of 10% of the projected demand of conventional energy of the city through energy efficiency measures and renewable energy installations.