Special
Feature – 10
India
takes giant leap on Green Energy Targets

*Neeraj Bajpai
In a decisive move to accomplish twin objective of safeguarding
climate and tapping renewable energy resources to meet growing demands for
power supply, the Narendra Modi Government, during its first three years of
governance, has carried forward its commitment of Green Energy, initiating
largest ever renewable energy production plans.
In tune with India’s Intended Nationally Determined
contributions (INDC), submitted to the United Nations Frame work convention on Climate
change, that India will achieve 40% cumulative Electric power capacity from non-fossil
fuel based energy resources by 2030 with the help of transfer of technology,
Mega plans are being implemented in the Renewable Energy (RE) sector.
The initiatives will pave way for energy security while ensuring
power supply in far flung rural swathes where grid supply is inaccessible.
Presently, per capita electricity consumption is only one fifth
of the world average. Putting rationale behind thrust on the RE sector, the
MNRE officials say the country’s present consumption is about 1150 BU and it
should reach 1570 BU by 2022. “Even with our ambitious goal of 175 GW renewable
power, out of additional requirement of 420 BU, solar will add about 140 BU and
Wind around 60 BU, thus 220 BU will be required from conventional power
projects.”
India has
an estimated renewable energy potential of about 900 GW from commercially
exploitable sources viz. Wind – 102 GW (at 80 meter mast height); Small Hydro –
20 GW; Bio-energy – 25 GW; and 750 GW solar power, assuming 3% wasteland.
Recently,
Record low solar and wind power tariffs in latest biddings have added another
positive dimension to the sector. Bidders quoted a price of Rs.3.46 per kWh for
1 GW wind tender and Rs.2.97 per kWh for setting up of 750 MW solar power plant
in Rewa. It made wind and solar competitive energy source. Lower clean energy
tariffs will pose major challenge to fossil fired power. Experts say if power
evacuation is ensured, developers may lower tariffs further.
Encouraged by RE sector’s big strides, Southern state of
Andhra Pradesh, according to sources, may soon start Solar farming under which
farmers will replace existing pump sets with wind energy pumps, and surplus
power will be evacuated to grid for additional income.
Sources indicate Plans are being mooted to tap hydro
power in big way by lacing the sector with incentives like bringing all hydro
projects under the ambit of RE scheme against existing benchmark of considering
hydro projects of 25 MW only under the sector.
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has set
another record in the wind power capacity addition by adding over 5400 MW in 2016-2017 against the target of
4000 MW. This year’s achievement surpassed the higher capacity addition
of 3.423 MW achieved in the previous year.
Now, the Government has also approved the enhancement of
capacity from 20,000 MW to 40,000 MW of the Scheme for Development of Solar
Parks and Ultra Mega Solar Power Projects. The enhanced capacity would ensure
setting up of at least 50 solar parks each with a capacity of 500 MW and above.
Smaller parks in Himalayan and other hilly States where contiguous land may be
difficult to acquire in view of the difficult terrain, will also be considered
under the scheme.
Solar Parks and Ultra Mega Solar Power Projects will be
set up by 2019-20 with Centre’s financial support of Rs.8100 crore. The total
capacity when operational will generate 64 billion units of electricity per
year which will lead to abatement of around 55 million tons of CO2 per annum
during its life cycle.
A total of 852 projects (based on Solar PV) have been
operational under Decentralized Distributed Generation (DDG) of Deen Dayal
Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY}. The MNRE is already implementing a scheme
for development of at least 25 solar parks with an aggregate capacity of 20,000
MW, which was launched in December 2014. More than 34 solar parks of aggregate
capacity 20,000 MW have been approved which are at various stages of
development.
According to Latest statistics, under the scheme of setting
up of 1000 MW Grid connected Solar PV power projects by CPSUS and Government
organization with VGF( Viability Gap Funding), Total VGF of Rs.450.55 cr has
been released so far. Rs.90 Cr will be released soon to take total release to
549.55 cr.
Of the total sanctioned capacity of 1037.26 MW to 15 CPSUs/
Government organization within sanctioned funds of Rs.1000 crore for the
scheme, solar projects of 441.50 capacity have already been commissioned so
far.
Implementing
Pilot projects for development of grid connected solar PV power plants on canal
banks and canal tops, 50 MW canal tops and 50 MW canal bank solar PV projects
have been allotted to eight states. Three MW canal top SPV power project and
16 MW canal bank projects have been commissioned till February, this year.
The
Government has set a target of 175 GW renewable power installed capacity by the
end of 2022. This includes 60 GW from wind power, 100 GW from solar power, 10
GW from biomass power and 5 GW from small hydro power.
A target of 16660 MW grid renewable power (wind 4000 MW, solar
12000 MW, small hydro power 250 MW, bio-power 400 MW and waste to power 10
MW), has been set for 2016-17. Besides, under off-grid renewable system,
targets of 15 MW eq. waste to energy, 60 MW eq. biomass non-bagasse cogeneration,
10 MW eq. biomass gasifiers, 1.0 MW eq. small wind/hybrid systems, 100 MW eq.
solar photovoltaic systems, 1.0 MW eq. micro hydel and 100,000 nos.
The Biomass
Cook stove division of MNRE, under the Unnat Chullha Abhiyan (UCA) is also
providing improved stoves kitchens of Midday (MDM) scheme, Forest rest houses,
families in rural areas, Dhabas, units etc.
The Biogas Technology development division, installed 84,882 of
biogas plants during 2014-15 and 74,705 plants in 2015-16 and 47,304 in 2016-17
so far. There are as many 49.5 lakh Biogas plants are there in the country.
Officials say total estimated Biogas generation is about 4 lakh cubic meters
per day, replacing annually estimated 44.10 lakh numbers of LPG cylinders of
domestic size.
A Rs.38,000 crore Green Energy Corridor is being set up to ensure
evacuation of Renewable Energy.
Many other parallel initiatives were also taken. These include:
amendments in the Tariff Policy for strong enforcement of Renewable Purchase
Obligation (RPO), for providing Renewable Generation Obligation
(RGO); provision of roof top solar and 10 percent renewable energy as
mandatory under Mission Statement and Guidelines for development of smart
cities; amendments in building bye-laws for mandatory provision of roof
top solar for new construction or higher FAR; raising tax free solar bonds;
making roof top solar a part of housing loan, ;compulsory net-metering; raising
funds from bilateral and international donors,creation of Surya Mitras for
installation and maintenance of the Solar Projects.
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*Author is a former editor
of the United News of India. Widely travelled journalist, he has covered many
national and international events during his 30 years career and was also the
member of the Press Council of India.
Views expressed in the
article are author’s personal.