Chandigarh has been rated as the best amongst the UTs in total solar power installation and received the first prize today on 27th Aug 2022 in a function organised by Association of Renewable Energy Agencies of States (AREAS) formed by Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Govt. of India on its 8th Foundation Day Ceremony at Cochin, Kerala.
Chandigarh Renewable Energy & Science & Technology Promotion Society (CREST), UT Chandigarh also got the awards for following categories amongst all UTs:
1. For achieving second highest renewable energy installed capacity as on 31.03.2022.
2. For achieving second highest renewable energy capacity addition during 2021-22.
3. For achieving second highest solar power capacity addition during 2021-22.
4. For achieving second highest numbers of solar street lights installed as on 31.3.2022.
These prizes were distributed by Shri Bhagwanth Khuba, Hon’ble Minister of State for New and Renewable Energy and Chemicals and Fertilizers, Government of India.
Chandigarh was selected as the Model Solar City and the Master Plan was approved by Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE), GOI in Feb. 2012.
Under “AZADI KA AMRIT MAHATOSAV–To Commemorate the India’s 75 years of Independence”, CREST has set an ambitious target of 75MWp to be achieved by 15th August, 2023. Chandigarh is well ahead in terms of achievement & total aggregate capacity of 50.588 MWp Grid tied Rooftop Solar Plants at 4200 sites have already been installed & commissioned in Chandigarh.
Sh.Dharam Pal, Adviser to the Administrator, U.T. Chandigarh appreciated the efforts of CREST in achieving this milestone and further added that with this pace, Chandigarh can achieve the dream target of Govt. of India to become 100% RE powered in near future.
Sh. Nitin Kumar Yadav, Home Secretary, U.T. Chandigarh congratulated the CREST team for making sincere efforts in producing Green Power for the city.
Sh.Debendra Dalai, Secretary, Science & Technology and Renewable Energy-cum- CEO CREST, informed that this is a proud moment for Chandigarh and Chandigarh could win these awards with active support and participation of the people at large in implementation of the projects. He further informed that there are many unique projects which are in pipeline such as 2 MWp Floating SPV Power Plant at Water Works, Sector-39, 2 MWp Canal Top SPV Power Plant at N-Choe in front of Garden of Conifers, Sector-52, 2 MWp Canal Top SPV Power Plant at Patiala Ki Rao, 500 kWp Floating SPV Power Plant along-with Fountains at Dhanas Lake and 4 MWp of other projects.
It is a proud moment for Chandigarh that a small territory has competed with other UTs of India and got these awards. This is a true encouragement for Chandigarh Administration. The award ceremony was attended by Sh. Debendra Dalai, Secretary Science & Technology and Renewable Energy -cum- CEO CREST and Sh. Sukhwinder Singh Abrol, Project Director, CERST.
