(a) whether the Government proposes to bring a draft comprehensive Renewable Energy Act, if so, the details thereof ;
(b) whether the Government proposes to implement one lakh Mega Watt renewable energy project in the country; and
(c) if so, the details and status thereof along with the promotional steps taken by the Government in this regard?
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR POWER, COAL & NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) (SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)
(a): Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) is working on a holistic framework to promote the use of renewable energy and its applications not only in electricity but also in heat and transport segments. Draft Renewable Energy Act, 2015 was put on MNRE official website for comments from stakeholders from 13 July, 2015 up to 31 July, 2015. 120 comments were received from academia, industry, NGOs, nodal agencies and general public etc. The comments thus received are presently under deliberation. On completion of this process, the expert committee would give its recommendation and the draft would be taken up for inter-ministerial/other stakeholder consultations before being sent for Cabinet approval.
(b)&(c): The Government has up-scaled the target of renewable energy capacity to 175 GW by the year 2022 which includes 100 GW from solar. Besides the ongoing policies and programmes of the Government in RE sector, several policy measures initiated recently by the Government to achieve this up-scaled target, inter-alia, 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; 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; infrastructure status for solar projects; raising tax free solar bonds; providing long tenor loans; making roof top solar a part of housing loan by banks/ NHB; incorporating measures in Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS) for encouraging distribution companies making net-metering compulsory and raising funds from bilateral and international donors as also the Green Climate Fund to achieve the target. The current status of Renewable Energy is placed as Annexure.