New Delhi, June 9 (IANS) Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has approved the establishment of a 250 MW solar power project with battery energy storage system (BESS) on approximately 850 acres of vacant defence land at Uttar Pradesh's Sitapur, in a major step towards promoting renewable energy in the country, according to a Defence Ministry statement on Tuesday. This is the first-of-its-kind project undertaken by the Ministry of Defence (MoD), involving the development of a large-scale solar power generation facility with integrated BESS support on defence land, the statement said.NTPC Limited is implementing the project through a competitive bid process to realise the most optimal energy pricing and savings for defence establishments. 

The project, to be implemented in close coordination with the Integrated HQ of MoD (Army) (IHQ) and the Directorate General Defence Estates (DGDE), represents a convergence of national security, energy security, technological innovation and environmental sustainability, highlighting the commitment of the Ministry of Defence to leverage its assets in support of national development goals while safeguarding strategic interests, as per the statement.The ministry, NTPC, the IHQ, and DGDE will work in close coordination to ensure the timely implementation of the project. Upon completion, the Sitapur Solar Power Project is expected to emerge as one of the country's most significant renewable energy projects established on defence land and a benchmark for future solar-plus-storage projects in the defence sector, the statement said.The initiative reflects the government’s commitment towards clean energy, sustainability and the reduction of dependence on conventional energy sources. Besides strengthening long-term energy security for the defence forces, the project is expected to substantially reduce expenditure incurred on procurement of conventional grid power for defence establishments, resulting in significant savings to the government exchequer over the life cycle of the project, the statement added.

/IANS