Renewable energy capacity grew 2.9 times; solar over 18 times in seven-and-a-half years
- February 1, 2022
- Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
- Category: DPN Topics
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Renewable energy capacity grew 2.9 times; solar over 18 times in seven-and-a-half years
Topic: Economy
In News: India witnessed the highest growth in renewable energy (RE) capacity addition among all global economies in the last seven and half years, with RE capacity growing by 2.9 times, while solar energy surged by more than 18 times, the Survey said.
About:
- Renewable energy (excluding large hydro) constitutes over 24.71 per cent of the country’s installed power capacity and around 10.7 per cent of the electrical energy generation for 2020-21.
- As of October 2021, India’s total RE installed capacity (excluding hydro power above 25 MW) has reached over 103.05 giga watts (GW), it added.
- During the last 7.5 years, if large hydro is included, the share of RE in electric installed capacity is estimated to be about 38.27 per cent (as of October 2021)
- To boost the use of RE and to facilitate its evacuation and reshaping the grid for future requirements, the government initiates the Green Energy Corridor (GEC) projects. This is aimed at synchronising electricity produced from renewable sources with conventional power stations in the grid.
- The first component of the scheme, inter-State GEC with target capacity of 3200 circuit kilometer (ckm) transmission lines and 17,000 MVA capacity sub-stations, was completed in March 2020.
- The second component —intra-State GEC with a target capacity of 9700 ckm transmission lines and 22,600 MVA capacity substations is expected to be completed by June 2022, as per economic survey.
- PM-KUSUM scheme
- Under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM- KUSUM) scheme, over 77,000 stand-alone solar pumps, 25.25 MW capacity solar power plants and over 1,026 pumps were solarised as of December, 2021.
- Under the development of solar parks and ultra mega solar power projects programme, with a target capacity of 40 GW by March 2024, 50 solar parks have been sanctioned with a combined capacity of 33.82 GW in 14 states. Solar power projects of an aggregate capacity of around 9.2
- Besides, the government has notified the offshore Wind Energy Policy to harness the potential of offshore wind energy along India’s coastline.
- The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is developing a strategy and roadmap for installation of offshore wind projects off the coast of Gujarat and Tamil Nadu.
- As of December 2021, capacity of around 4.25 GW of wind-solar hybrids have been commissioned.