Question : Clean Energy Generation

(a) whether India has set an ambitious goal of reaching 175 GW of clean energy generation by March 2022, if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether renewable energy installations surpassed those by coal power plants, if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the country is ready to quit coal power, if so, the details thereof along with the percentage of energy generated and utilised from coal fired plants currently;
(d) the extent to which the coal fired energy has decreased since 2017; and
(e) whether poor policies have sparked uncertainty over the duties on imported solar panels, causing a sharp decline in new solar capacity additions in 2018, if so, the manner in which the country is likely to achieve its target of clean energy?

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR NEW & RENEWABLE ENERGY AND POWER (I/C)
(SHRI R.K. SINGH)

(a) Government have set a target to install 175 GW of Renewable Energy capacity by the year 2022, which includes 100 GW from solar, 60 GW from wind, 10 GW from Bio-power and 5 GW from Small Hydro power.

(b) As per Central Electricity Authority (CEA), as on 31.10.2018, the total Installed Capacity in the country is 347387 MW out of which installed capacity of coal fired power plants is 189633 MW and the installed capacity of Renewable Energy Sources is 73352 MW.

(c) &(d) The generation of electricity from coal is still the major source of electricity in the country. The details of electricity generated in the country from various sources and coal during the period from 2016 – 17 to 2018-19 (up to Nov. 2018) is given as under:
(Figures are in MUs)
Source / year 2016 – 17 2017-18 2018-19 (up to Oct, 2018.)
Coal 910135.81 951754.51 576461.85
Total (All India) 1241689.21 1308145.73 830463.53
% of Coal Generation 73.30 72.76 69.41
(Source: CEA)

(e) The capacity addition in any given year depends on the tenders bid out during the previous 18 months which is the required duration for commissioning of Solar PV Power plants. Capacity addition in 2018 reflects the bidding profile of the year 2016-17 and not due to poor policies sparked over duties on imported solar panels. The major steps taken by the Government to achieve the target include fiscal and promotional incentives such as capital subsidy, accelerated depreciation, waiver of Inter State Transmission System (ISTS) charges and losses, viability gap funding (VGF) and permitting Foreign Direct Investment up to 100 per cent under the automatic route. Also, to ensure cheaper generation of renewable energy, projects are awarded through transparent bidding process i.e. through e-reverse auction. Government has issued standard bidding guidelines to enable the distribution licensees to procure power at competitive rates in cost effective manner.
*****