“Clinton Foundation to set up 3000MW solar plant in Gujarat”
September 09, 2009, 2:00am

(From The Times Of India).

AHMEDABAD: The Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI), a programme of US-based William J Clinton Foundation, on Monday announced setting up of the
world’s largest solar power plant in Gujarat with an estimated investment of Rs 50,000 crore likely to flow into the state over the next five years.

The proposed 3,000MW plant —one of the four being set up by CCI across the globe — promises to make Gujarat the solar power hub of India. Gujarat has identified four locations along its international border with Pakistan for solar projects.

“We are setting up similar plants in California, South Africa and Australia. We chose Gujarat because of the state’s potential and its policy framework. A lot of people are talking about renewable energy, but Gujarat has acted,” said Ira Magaziner, chairman of CCI, who was in Ahmedabad to sign an agreement with the state government.

CCI is in talks with at least a dozen large companies from across the globe willing to invest in the project, which is likely to come up over 5,000 hectares along border districts of Kutch and Banaskantha. With the state government planning a large gas grid in the region, CCI is also exploring possibilities of making the plant hybrid.

Chief Minister Narendra Modi said on the occasion that his government plans to convert the border into a solar hub. “We would identify land and create infrastructure for the project. We want Gujarat to become a hub for manufacturing solar power equipment, R&D and generation. The initiative will generate 20,000 jobs,” said Modi.

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