NEW DELHI, Dec 18: India has been ranked fourth in the Global Wind Power Installed Capacity index with the Government undertaking the largest renewable capacity expansion programme to augment generation of wind energy from various sources to meet country’s growing demands.
The Government is aiming to increase share of clean energy through massive thrust in renewables. Core drivers for development and deployment of new and renewable energy in India have been Energy security, Electricity shortages, Energy access and Climate change among others.
A capacity addition of 14.30 GW of renewable energy has been reported during the last two and half years under Grid Connected Renewable Power, which include 5.8 GW from Solar Power, 7.04 GW from Wind Power, 0.53 from Small Hydro Power and 0.93 from Bio-power.
The Government of India in its submission to the United Nations Frame Work Convention on Climate Change has stated that India will achieve 40 per cent cumulative Electric power capacity from non-fossil fuel based energy resources by 2030 with the help of transfer of technology and low cost International Finance including from Green Climate Fund.
As on October 31, 2016, Solar Energy Projects with an aggregate capacity of over 8727.62 MW have been installed in the country. The Government is playing an active role in promoting the adoption of renewable energy resources by offering various incentives, such as generation-based incentives (GBIs), capital and interest subsidies, viability gap funding, concessional finance, fiscal incentives among others.
The National Solar Mission aims to promote the development and use of solar energy for power generation and other uses, with the ultimate objective of making solar energy compete with fossil-based energy options.
The objective of the National Solar Mission is to reduce the cost of solar power generation in the country through long-term policy, large scale deployment goals, aggressive R&D and the domestic production of critical raw materials, components and products. Renewable energy is becoming increasingly cost-competitive as compared to fossil fuel-based generation.
In order to achieve the renewable energy target of 175 GW by the year 2022, the major programmes/schemes on implementation of Solar Park, Solar Defence Scheme, Solar scheme for CPUs Solar PV power plants on Canal Bank and Canal Tops, Solar Pump, Solar Rooftop etc have been launched during the last two years.
Various measures have been initiated and special steps taken in addition to providing financial support to various schemes being implemented by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy for achieving the target of renewable energy capacity to 175 GW by the year 2022.
These include suitable amendments to the Electricity Act and Tariff Policy for strong enforcement of Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) and for providing Renewable Generation Obligation (RGO); setting up of exclusive solar parks; development of power transmission network through Green Energy Corridor project; identification of large Government complexes/buildings for rooftop projects among others. Other steps are provision of roof top solar and 10 per cent 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 Floor Area Ratio; infrastructure status for solar projects among others.
Some other measures include raising tax free solar bonds; providing long tenor loans; making roof top solar as a part of housing loan by banks/NHB; incorporating measures in Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS) for encouraging distribution companies and making net-metering compulsory and raising funds from bilateral and international donors as also the Green Climate Fund to achieve the target.
The increased use of indigenous renewable resources is expected to reduce India’s dependence on expensive imported fossil fuels. India has an estimated renewable energy potential of about 900 GW from commercially exploitable sources like Wind 102 GW (at 80 meter mast height); Small Hydro 20 GW; Bio-energy 25 GW; and 750 GW solar power.
The Government of India 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 equivalent waste to energy, 60 MW equivalent biomass non-bagasse cogeneration, 10 MW equivalent biomass gasifiers, 1.0 MW eq. small wind/hybrid systems, 100 MW equivalent solar photovoltaic systems, 1.0 MW equivalent micro hydel and 100,000 nos. family size biogas plants have been set for 2016-17.
Several schemes namely Defence scheme, Central Public Sector Undertakings scheme, Bundling scheme, Canal Bank/Canal Top scheme, VGF Scheme, Solar Park scheme, Solar rooftops, have been initiated/launched by the Ministry under National Solar Mission which are under implementation. Under Defence scheme against a target of 300 MW, 347 MW has been sanctioned, under Central Public Sector Undertakings scheme against a target of 1000 MW, all capacity sanctioned, under 3000 MW Bundling scheme, Tranch-I: 3000 MW has been tendered, under 100 MW Canal Bank/Canal Top scheme, all capacity sanctioned, under 2000 MW & 5000 MW VGF Scheme, tenders issued for 4785 MW, and under 20,000 MW Solar Park scheme, 34 Solar parks have been approved in 21 States with an aggregate capacity of 20,000 MW.
A target of 40 GW grid connected solar rooftops to be achieved by 2022 has been set. So far, about 500 MW have been installed and about 3,000 MW has been sanctioned which is under installation. All major sectors i.e. Railways, Airports, Hospitals, Educational Institutions, Government Buildings of Central/State/PSUs are being targeted besides, the private sector.
A massive Grid Connected Solar Rooftop Programme has been launched with 40 GW target. State Electricity Regulatory Commissions of 30 States/UTs notified regulations for net-metering/feed-in-tariff mechanism. Rs.5000 crore approved for solar rooftops. About 500 MW solar rooftop capacity installed till September 30.
During the year 2015-16, wind power capacity addition of 3.42 GW was made, which is highest ever wind power capacity addition in the country during a single year. The present wind power installed capacity in the country is around 28.28 GW. Now, in terms of wind power installed capacity India is globally placed at fourth position after China, US and Germany.
India has a strong manufacturing base of wind power equipment in the country. Presently, there are 20 approved manufacturers with 53 models of wind turbines in the country up to a capacity of 3.00 MW single turbines. Wind turbines being manufactured in India are of international quality standards and cost-wise amongst the lowest in the world being exported to Europe, USA and other countries. India has a long coastline where there is a good possibility for developing offshore wind power projects.
The National Offshore Wind Energy Policy has been cleared and the same has been notified on October 6, 2015. Some of the guidelines are–Comprehensive Guidelines for Development of On-shore Wind Power Projects in the country have been formulated and issued on October 22. Guidelines for implementation of “Scheme for Setting up of 1000 MW Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS) – connected Wind Power Projects” issued on October 22 this year.
A capacity addition of 14.30 GW of renewable energy has been reported during the last two and half years under Grid Connected Renewable Power, 0.53 GW from Small Hydro Power. Biomass power includes installations from biomass combustion, biomass gasification and bagasse co-generation. During 2016-17, against a target of 400 MW, 51 MW installations of biomass power plants has been achieved making a cumulative achievement to 4882.33 MW.
Family Size Biogas Plants mainly for rural and semi-urban households are set up under the National Biogas and Manure Management Programme (NBMMP). During 2016-17, against a target of 1.00 lakh biogas plants, 0.26 lakh biogas plants installations has been achieved making a cumulative achievement to 49.35 lakh biogas plants.
A special programme for 1,00,000 solar pumps launched of which 31,472 Solar Pumps installed in 2015-16, higher than total number of pumps installed during last 24 years i.e. since beginning of the programme in 1991. A solar Power Plant of capacity exceeding 200 MW is being set up at the Central State Farm at Jetsar, Rajasthan to generate clean energy for the nation. Rs.38,000 crore Green Energy Corridor is being set up to ensure evacuation of Renewable Energy. Power Grid Corporation of India Limited has sought a loan assistance of 1,000 million dollars from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) comprising of Sovereign guaranteed loan of 500 million dollars and Non-Sovereign loan of US 500 million dollars.
The Loan would be utilized for funding of the following transmission projects including a project under Green Energy Corridor projects in next three-four years. Solar tariffs have fallen to an unprecedented low of Rs 4.34/kWh through reverse auction for one of six projects of 70 MW each to be put up in Rajasthan under the National Solar Mission. NTPC on January 18 , 2016 conducted the reverse bidding for 420 MW solar power projects.
However, the tariff had further fallen to Rs 3 per unit, which was quoted by Amplus Energy Solutions in an auction for rooftop solar power conducted by Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI). The Power Minister Piyush Goyal has launched “Surya Mitra” mobile App on Rooftop Solar Power. The GPS based mobile app is a high end technology platform which can handle thousands of calls simultaneously and can efficiently monitor all visits of Suryamitra’s. Surya Mitra Scheme has been launched for creating 50,000 trained solar photovoltaic technicians by march 2020. A total number of 5492 Surya Mitra’s have been trained as on September 30, 2016 and more than 3000 are undergoing training. A network of over 150 Institutions, spread all over the country, have been created for implementing the Surya Mitra scheme.
In addition, short term training programmes for small hydro, entrepreneurship development, operation & maintenance of solar energy devices and boiler operations in co-generation plants, have been organised. About 7800 persons have been trained through these short term training programmes during the last two years.
Some other initiatives are—International Solar Alliance was launched as a special platform for mutual cooperation among 121 solar resource rich countries lying fully or partially between Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn at COP21 in Paris on November 30, 2015 to develop and promote solar energy, with its headquarters in India.
Bank loans up to a limit of Rs.15 crores will be given to borrowers for purposes like solar based power generators, biomass based power generators, wind power systems, micro-hydel plants and for renewable energy based public utilities like Street lighting systems, and remote village electrification. For individual households, the loan limit will be Rs.10 lakh per borrower.
Coal cess has been increased eight times from Rs 50 to Rs 400/ton in the last two years (2014-15) which will make available around Rs.40,000 crore/year for supporting and incentivizing development of Clean Energy projects in the country. Also, Foreign Direct Investment up to 100 per cent is permitted under the automatic route for renewable energy generation and distribution projects subject to provisions of The Electricity Act, 2003.
In order to achieve the targets, various initiatives have been taken by the Government which are amendments in the Tariff Policy for strong enforcement of Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) and for providing Renewable Generation Obligation; setting up of exclusive solar parks; development of power transmission network through Green Energy Corridor project; identification of large government complexes/ buildings for rooftop projects and provision of roof top solar and 10 percent renewable energy as mandatory under Mission Statement and Guidelines for development of smart cities among others. (UNI)
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