The Central government is implementing Rs 13,161 crore worth of energy-based projects under Smart Cities Mission (SCM). Solar rooftop projects are said to constitute half of this expenditure.
Cities have proposed projects in solar energy, electric vehicles, waste-to-energy and LED lighting.
As per a report by the Centre for Policy Research (CPR), all the cities have emphasised on investing in energy distribution and supply infrastructure, with 81 percent of all funds dedicated to these two sectors.
The report is based on projects and financing plans submitted by the 60 cities selected under the first three phases of the SCM, launched by the centre in 2015.
According to the report, the cities have prioritised the usage of low-carbon and unconventional sources of energy and none of the proposed investments were found to advocate the use of conventional fossil fuels. More than 50 percent of components proposed are rooftop solar solutions and other types of solar installations. The cities have also considered deployment of smart meters and smart grid systems with municipalities.
Distribution of components and budget across categories are: Energy power network – Rs 6059 crore, Energy production – Rs 4680 crore, Lighting & equipment – Rs 1671 crore, E-mobility – Rs 709 crore and Green buildings – Rs 41 crore.
