PEDA to tap wind energy

Phagwara, June 27 : To overcome the shortage of power in the state, the Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA) has drawn up an ambitious project to tap wind energy.

Three companies which have shown interest in setting up projects in the state are Enercon India Ltd, Suzlon Energy Ltd and third is a US-based company, PEDA Chairman Vijay Inder Singla said here today.

Enercon is a leading German group with 40 per cent generation share back home, whereas Suzlon Energy is a Minnesota-based company that has set-up such projects in Maharashtra, Mr Singla said. PEDA will be the facilitating agency for the project.

He said the project has been planned in two phases. In the first phase, potential of the wind speed will be gauged while in the second phase, turbines will be installed and electricity generated, he added.

The state government has finalised four districts for the project---Nawanshahr, Gurdaspur, Ropar and Hoshiarpur. PEDA will sign the MoU after looking at the modalities offered by the interested companies, Mr Singla said.

Admitting that windmill projects had failed in Punjab in the past, Mr Singla said that with improved technologies now avaliable, there was no harm in going ahead with this project.

UNI