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Maharashtra to go Kochi way, run ports & jetties on solar and wind energy

The Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB) also plans to use coastal land, which is covered under CRZ norms and ports, coastal areas and creeks in its jurisdiction to erect and operationalise renewable energy projects like solar panels.

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MMB plans to use state’s 720km coastline to generate green power
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In the first such model in India, the Maharashtra government is planning to meet operational requirements of its minor ports and jetties using power generated from sea waves and solar and wind energy.

This green energy thrust will be on the lines of the Kochi international airport, which runs entirely on solar power. Projects designed to convert the kinetic energy of sea waves into electricity have also been operationalised in Denmark and other countries.

The Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB) also plans to use coastal land, which is covered under CRZ norms and ports, coastal areas and creeks in its jurisdiction to erect and operationalise renewable energy projects like solar panels.

"We have a coastline of 720km. This can be used on a large scale to generate power from sea waves, wind and from solar panels on our land. This green energy can be used to run our... small ports and jetties," MMB CEO Atul Patne told dna, adding that this would be the first such model in the country.

"The surplus energy... can be fed into the local grid for the Maharashtra government or can even be provided to (nearby) villages," he said.

"We will create a network of tidal (energy projects)... such a large chain means that a greater amount of watts can be generated," noted Patne, adding that this could be linked to solar and wind energy projects which could be developed on the coast.

Patne said that in a meeting of the MMB, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had agreed to the green energy for ports project. This, along with the 'Nirmal Sagar Tat Abhiyan', has been sent to the Centre's Sagar Mala project for funding.

The Maharashtra Energy Development Agency (MEDA) had estimated that the state has around 500 MW potential for wave energy-based power plants. It had also identified some sites — Vengurla rocks, Malvan rocks, Redi, Pawas, Ratnagiri and Girye.

The MEDA had also begun work on a demonstration project at Budhal in Guhagar, Ratnagiri, and had also estimated that with its about 7,500km coastline, India had a potential of 40,000 MW with the western coast with its stable waves being more favourable for such projects.

In Denmark, floats which move upwards and downwards based on wave movements are used to power generators and generate electricity.

The MMB has allocated a portion of the seafront at Belapur for a pilot project to generate wave energy. The MMB also plans to use CRZ areas for erecting solar panels, said Patne. Otherwise, a minimum of four acre land is required to erect a solar power project with 1 MW capacity.

Patne said they had allocated land to an entrepreneur who wanted to construct manless vessels and pointed to how around 40 institutions had approached them for land on the waterfront for training purposes. The police too wanted to train their personnel in the sea instead of swimming pools. Hence, it has also consented for establishing a maritime research and training zone for start-ups and research. This will also help create trained manpower in the maritime sector.

The new and renewable energy policy approved by the state aims at creating 14,400 MW of fresh grid-connected installed capacity by 2019-20. This includes 7,500 MW from solar energy, and wind energy and baggase-based cogeneration will contribute 5,000 MW and 1,000 MW, respectively.

Small hydro power projects, with a capacity of 5 MW and less, will make up for 400 MW, and 300 MW is proposed to be generated from industrial waste and 200 MW from biomass.

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