Govt dedicates 200 MW solar manufacturing plant, Jitendra Singh says renewable energy key for net-zero
New Delhi, May 14
Union Minister of State Jitendra Singh dedicated the 200 MW Solar Module Manufacturing Line of Central Electronics Limited to the nation during the dedication ceremony held for commissioning the new solar manufacturing facility, saying renewable energy will play a key role in India's growth and net-zero plans, according to the Ministry of Science & Technology.
Addressing the gathering at the dedication ceremony, the minister said the new facility marks a significant addition to India's clean energy manufacturing infrastructure and strengthens the country's indigenous capabilities in strategic technologies.
"Renewable energy and clean energy are set to play a major role in India's growth trajectory under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi," Singh said.
He said India is rapidly expanding its capabilities in non-fossil energy sectors including solar, wind, nuclear and ocean-based energy systems to achieve the net-zero target by 2070.
"PM Shri Narendra Modi has set a national target of achieving net-zero emissions by 2070 and India is rapidly expanding its capabilities across multiple non-fossil energy domains," he said.
The event was attended by N. Kalaiselvi, Secretary, DSIR and Director General, CSIR, Chetan Jain, CMD, CEL, along with senior scientists, directors of CSIR laboratories and officials of CEL.
Singh described the operationalisation of the 200 MW Solar Module Manufacturing Line as a milestone for India's clean energy ecosystem and said it reflects growing confidence in domestic manufacturing.
He recalled CEL's role in India's solar journey, noting that the country's first solar cell was manufactured by CEL in 1977 and the first solar plant was established by the organisation in 1979.
The minister said CEL has transformed from an organisation once on the verge of disinvestment into a profit-making Mini Ratna enterprise.
He also highlighted CEL's expansion into sectors such as vertical axis wind turbines, hybrid renewable systems, data centres, advanced defence electronics and electronic warfare systems.
"The dedication of the 200 MW Solar Module Manufacturing Line marks another important step towards Viksit Bharat 2047 and reflects India's growing capability to convert scientific excellence into national development," Singh said.
— ANI
Reader Comments
As someone living in Delhi, I've seen the smog. This is genuinely exciting - more solar means less coal. But I hope we're also investing in battery storage and grid modernization. Renewable is great, but without storage it's unreliable. Let's hope the targets are achievable! 🏭☀️
Good step, but 200 MW is just a drop in the ocean. India needs giga-scale manufacturing to compete with China. Also, the article mentions CEL was 'on the verge of disinvestment' - we need more transparency on how public sector units are being revived. Let's see real numbers on production costs and efficiency.
Fantastic initiative! But we need to think about the entire ecosystem. Where are the raw materials like polysilicon coming from? Are we mining lithium for batteries sustainably? Also, what about job training for the youth in these new technologies? Overall, direction is right though! 💪🌏
Impressive that CEL has been in this game since 1977. The shift to wind turbines and defense electronics shows smart diversification. But I'm skeptical about the 2070 net-zero target - we need more aggressive timelines. Also, nuclear energy was mentioned - are we investing in small modular reactors? That could be a game changer.
Being from a village near a solar park, I can tell you how much this means for local employment. The 'rooftop solar' schemes have been game changing for small farmers. 200 MW is a good start, but let's
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