2,000 Indian villages in the state of Orissa to be powered by solar energy soon

India is a land of villages, most of which are remote and completely out of touch with technology. Electricity isn’t really a luxury the people of these villages enjoy, most of whom have never probably seen a functioning television. In the Indian state of Orissa, the government decided to electrify some 2,000 villages, and not by plugging them up to some fossil fuel powered plant. These villages will instead power up by soaking in the sun! Besides solar power, these plants will also use a bit of hydroelectricity, wind energy and biomass to lighten up. Currently, 395 villages use energy from the sun and 205 more will do the same by the end of 2010.

Truly a green state, Orissa at the moment has 118 MW of biomass plants with 20 MW in the works. Wind power projects of 150 MW are also being chiseled while hydropower generating 300 MW will be built. Maybe the rest of urban India should learn from this shining example set by Orissa.
[Treehugger]