The World’s Biggest Coal Company Is Turning To Solar Energy To Lower Its Utility Bill

[OKIsItJustMe]

http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2013/06/06/2104601/the-worlds-biggest-coal-company-is-turning-to-solar-energy-to-lower-its-utility-bill/

[font face=Serif][font size=5]The World’s Biggest Coal Company Is Turning To Solar Energy To Lower Its Utility Bill[/font]

By Ryan Koronowski on Jun 6, 2013 at 11:42 am

[font size=3]The largest coal company in the world, Coal India, is aiming to cut its own utility bills by installing solar photovoltaic panels at its facilities across the country. The coal giant is seeking proposals from solar energy companies to build a modular 2 megawatt solar plant on 9 acres of its own land. This plant could be scaled to export power to the grid.

Not only is Coal India pursuing commercial solar power plants, it’s also “mulling” the installation of rooftop solar panels at the Ranchi Central Mine Planning and Design Institute, where it does mining research. The panels would go on “staff colonies” and in mining areas, with the goal of reducing the company’s energy bills.

Coal India explained the reason for these moves in its bid document:

“India has an abundance of sunshine and the trend of depletion of fossil fuels is compelling energy planners to examine the feasibility of using renewable sources of energy like solar, wind, and so on.”

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[wtmusic]

1. The largest coal company in the world, which mines 1/2 billion tons of coal every year

is "turning to solar energy" with a 2-megawatt plant?

Get Renewables Jesus on the phone...this is big.

[djean111]

2. It is a start.

Do you think they should build a cute, never-fail, mini nuclear reactor?

[wtmusic]

6. If you had any clue how much 2MW is

you wouldn't have fallen for such a lame attempt to appear "green".

Don't feel too bad, you're in good company.

[PsychoBunny]

3. I think it is the irony

that counts.

[OKIsItJustMe]

4. It’s easy to tell when you know you don’t have a decent argument.

(You use smilies.)

In this case, the coal company will mine coal to sell to its customers, but for its own purposes, it believes solar is cheaper. (Yeah, that’s big.)


http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/newdelhi/India-basks-in-solar-glory/Article1-1070818.aspx

[font face=Serif][font size=5]India basks in solar glory[/font]

Chetan Chauhan, Hindustan Times New Delhi, June 04, 2013
First Published: 19:02 IST(4/6/2013) | Last Updated: 11:17 IST(5/6/2013)

[font size=3]From Ladakh in the north to Madurai in the south, solar power is turning India into a hot destination for clean energy investments from across the globe.

…

Tarun Kapoor, joint secretary in-charge of solar mission in the ministry of new and renewable energy, said solar power could be cheaper than the conventional coal-based electricity in 2014.

The generation cost of solar power has dipped from Rs. 17 per unit in 2008-09 to Rs. 6.45 in Rajasthan and Rs. 6.49 in Tamil Nadu now. It is expected to come down to Rs. 6 by the end of 2013.

The solar energy sector is also seeing a healthy competition between states. Maharashtra first came up with India's biggest solar farm of 125 MW.

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[wtmusic]

7. What argument?

You have no argument. This is a pathetic PR stunt you've fallen head-over-heels for. I'm sorry for you.

A perfect example of the absurd lengths renewables advocates are willing to go to put lipstick on their pig.

[FBaggins]

8. That's big?

So it would also be big if there were large solar manufacturing plants that are powered by something other than solar panels?

Wind turbine plants that are powered by coal?

[pscot]

5. What price virtue?

[NickB79]

9. So they'll use their abundant solar resources to make it more profitable to export coal?

That's just.....evil somehow.