(The New Indian Express)
The Parsa East and Kanta Basan (PEKB) coal mine, operated by the Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Ltd in Ambikapur district, about 330 km north of Raipur, has taken a significant step towards ‘sustainable’ mining with the operationalisation of a 9-MW solar power plant. This is the first direct application of renewable energy in India’s coal mining sector. PEKB is a crucial source of coal for electricity generation for nearly 80 million consumers in Rajasthan. Developed by Mundra Solar PV Limited, the 9-MW solar facility established within the mine premises is expected to reduce nearly 400,000 tonnes of carbon emissions over next 25 years.
