Goa Gets First Solar Powered Chiller System for Fishing Trawlers

Sudin Dhavalikar, Member of Goa Legislative Assembly, stated that Goa Government was producing large amounts of green energy and encouraging it in various sectors through solar energy.

Dhavalikar spoke to reporters after inaugurating Goa’s first solar-powered chiller system for fishing trawlers ” Vailankanni Nakshatra” at Vasco. He was accompanied by Fisheries Minister Nilkanth Halarnkar and Vasco MLA Krishna Salkar, Mormugao LLA Sankalp Amonkar, and AGFBOA President Jose Philip D’Souza.

“We, the new government, are now trying promote solar energy. We are now bringing solar power to the fishing industry. This will bring a great benefit to the fishermen and reduce fuel costs. This will be the first time that a solar-powered chiller system has been installed on a trawler in Goa. We are also making modifications to the solar energy system for fishing boats. We will need to make huge amounts of solar power. PM Narendra Modi told us that until 2030, we will have more than 50% of India’s existing power to be converted to green energy. Dhavalikar said that we all want to promote and produce green energy. He also mentioned that the union power ministry is in discussions to provide subsidies for the fisheries department to encourage solar energy.

Nilkanth Halarnkar, Fisheries Minister, stated that the solar power chiller had been used as an experimental device to investigate solar power in fisheries.

“We hope it will succeed and it will save fuel costs that is involved with the chiller of a fishing boat. Halarnkar stated that solar energy helps reduce pollution. He also said that we will provide subsidies for fish boat owners who have solar-powered chillers.

Vasco MLA Krishna Salkar stated that solar panels were installed on the trawler to transfer solar energy to the fishing fraternity in order to reduce rising fuel costs.

Sankalp Amonkar, Mormugao MLA, stated that this was the first time that power ministry and fisheries ministry had made a joint effort for solar energy promotion on a fishing boat at Vasco.