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VADODARA: Union Power Minister on Friday sought cooperation from the states to implement various schemes and asked them to expedite the process of mining lease auction as well as the formation of District Minerals Fund.
He asked them to pay up the dues of wind and solar power firms, speaking at a conference of ministers of various states for Power, New and Renewable Energy and Mines in Vadodara.
“Our ministry has taken up the task of intensive electrification. We made a commitment in the past that every household will get connection by the end of 2018. Thus, I urge states to expedite their efforts, as only two years are left,” said MrGoyal, adding that the states must clamp down on illegal power connections too.
“We are making use of satellite technology for faster exploration in mining sector. We have recently completed e-auction of 16 mines. I request all the states to expedite such auctions for minor minerals.”
“States also need to fast-track the process of forming DMF….This fund ultimately goes for the welfare of locals and tribals living near mines,” he said.
The Union Minister expressed concern over non-payment of dues by states to the wind and solar power generators.
“In the new and renewable energy sector, payment issue is a matter of serious concern. Some of the states are not fulfilling their legal obligation by not paying for power purchased from wind and solar power generating firms.”
“We have to pay them, as they are very small companies. In addition, it is also a question of India’s credibility.”
The two-day conference is a part of ‘SWITCH Global Expo’ organised by Gujarat government from October 6 to October 10.
Secretary, Mines, Balvinder Kumar said the mining ministry recently raised Rs. 47,000 crore from auction of 16 mining blocks across India.
“Now we have to see why other blocks could not be put for auction. We are here to find those reasons. States are required to put their blocks of minor minerals for auction.”
“Our ministry has planned to put 55 new blocks of major minerals for auction this financial year,” he said.
Source Link: http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/piyush-goyal-seeks-states-cooperation-for-100-per-cent-electrification-by-2018-1471665
Hydro power potential in the country is estimated at about 150 GW, with 50 GW coming from Arunachal Pradesh alone. In a bid to boost hydro power sector, the government is planning to formulate a policy to push stalled projects and extend the benefits for renewable sources like wind and solar to hydro projects beyond 25 MW capacity.
“We are looking at coming up with a pro-active hydro power policy to push stalled projects and explore the possibility of extending benefits for renewable sources like wind and solar to hydro projects beyond 25 MW,” Power Minister Piyush Goyal told PTI here.
He said it is the government’s resolve to come up with this policy after discussing it with the stakeholders.
According to a proposal of the Power ministry, projects with capacities of up to 25 MW have been categorised as small hydro power projects and would get the benefits as extended to other renewable energy projects.
Hydro power potential in the country has been estimated at about 150 GW, with 50 GW coming from Arunachal Pradesh alone.
The Power ministry had earlier mentioned that the planned hydro power generation capacity addition of 4,371 MW out of the total target of 10,897 MW in the 12th Plan will not be complete.
“Our renewable energy capacity could touch 225 GW by 2022 if hydro electricity was added to the renewable category as is being done the world over,” he said.
Goyal further said that it is only in India where hydro-projects below 25 MW are considered renewable and those above it are categorised as non-renewable.
“I have asked my ministry officials to look into removing this distinction and prepare a report that will be put out for public consultation,” he added.
Goyal has been camping in the city for last three days attending the five-day “Switch Expo 2016” which began on October 6.
Terming Prime Minister NarendraModi’s International Solar Alliance (ISA) initiative as a unique implementation-focused alliance, Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday said the 3P model of partnerships, programmes and planning will be the key to achieve this.
Speaking at the ‘SWITCH’ Electrical Show here, Goyal said, “an idea then, ISA has now transformed into a movement with countries and global agencies endorsing this initiative of Indian government to promote solar energy in the countries that are rich in solar resources.”
He said the 3Ps model of partnerships,programmes and planning would be key in achieving the ISA goal.
“It is encouraging to know that United Nations Development Programme and World Bank are already exploring synergies with ISA to deepen strategic co-operation in solar energy and establishing robust knowledge management systems,” Goyal said.
Last year, the World Bank signed an agreement with the ISA at the Paris climate summit to mobilise $1 trillion in investments in the solar sector by 2030.
“We are committed to promote ISA and we believe that the interested parties need to come together to share ideas, best practises, knowledge, technology and resources towards a global low carbon transition,” said the minister.
Goyal pointed out that achieving the objective of ISA requires the establishment of a strong knowledge-sharing platform to locate and popularise each small and large stride already being taken in each and every unidentified corner (s) of the world.
Source Link: http://www.thestatesman.com/news/latest-headlines/committed-to-promote-international-solar-alliance-goyal/169470.html
VADODARA: Stating that government’s aim is to provide electricity for all citizens irrespective of BPL or APL criterion, Union Minister PiyushGoyal today said states are free to use any data they want for implementing rural electrification project.
Goyal stressed that there is no need to focus only on BPL (Below Poverty Line) or APL (Above Poverty Line) criterion when it comes to providing power connections in villages.
“During our deliberations here today, our Power Secretary raised the issue of BPL data, which according to him is not updated. Upon learning about this issue, I have taken a decision on the spot that States are free to take into account any data they want to implement rural electrification programme. Do not discriminate between citizens,” the Minister of State for Power told reporters.
Goyal inaugurated conference of power ministers on the sidelines of SWITCH Expo.
Stating that there is no need to discriminate among poor, BPL, APL or any other type, he said, “Our aim is to provide electricity to all. Do’t restrict yourself to BPL or APL. Once electricity reaches to a village, electricity should reach all houses. We had calculated Rs 3000 average cost in BPL families. You take an average cost for the rest as well. And whatever amount will be required, you can use the funds from our schemes.”
He said, “If you need more funds to provide electricity to all rural houses, then Rural Electrification Corporation (REC) will provide long-term finance to states at a lower rate of interest. So that states can achieve 100 per cent household connectivity in villages.”
Goyal expressed hope that this “new approach” will also bring down corruption.
New Delhi, Oct 6 () India cannot stop the use of fossil fuels completely from its energy basket as it has development imperatives in the near future, Power MinisterPiyush Goyal has said.
He was of the view that it is important to strike a balance between the conventional and renewable sources of energy and rapid societal development and environmental concerns.
Goyal made these comments in his address to ‘Energy Conclave, 2016 Securing India’s Green Future’, organised here yesterday, according to a Power Ministry press release.
He noted that it is of prime importance to achieve the goal of ‘One Nation, One Grid, One Price’ at the earliest and to create a robust transmission grid network where affordable power is seamlessly available to the common man throughout the nation, at one price.
The government has raised the solar power target five times to 100 GW by 2022, he said, adding that the prices of solar energy have come down by 40 per cent in just 18 months.
Moreover, he said, concentrating on other sources of renewable energy, this year has been dedicated to hydro and wind energy and talks with international gas suppliers are on.
Citing example of large hydro power projects like Teesta and Subansiri, Goyal expressed concern that these projects have been experiencing severe time and cost over runs in the past due to various issues.
The government, he said, is taking all the required steps to fast-track the operationalising of these projects at the earliest so that investors, both global and domestic, do not get a negative signal on the prospects of investing in the hydro power sector.
On initiatives in the Coal sector, he said the ministry is collaborating with IITs and research labs abroad to develop state of art technologies like clean coal technology, carbon capture & use, coal to gas & coal bed methane technologies, inter alia.
Besides, he said, the ministry has stopped the repair and maintenance of old thermal power plants and is concentrating on building super critical power plants in future.
Goyal said the ministry is in talks with PSUs like BHEL, NTPC and other private sector power generators on taking various measures to reduce coal imports and achieving criticality in plants designed to operate on imported coal, by making design modifications to enable use of abundant domestic reserves of coal.
Minister of State for Power, Coal, New & Renewable Energy and Mines Piyush Goyal today said the Indian entrepreneurship needs to be promoted in global electrical industry. While speaking at Light India Exhibition 2016 here, Mr Goyal said, “We welcome technology from all around the world but at the end of the day, we would like to strengthen our Indian hands. I am happy to have imports coming in, if we are at level playing field. But if we find that other countries are dumping goods into India, certainly that is not welcome in the country.”On solar street lights, he said, “I can actually imagine putting up not less than 10 or 15 million solar street lights, particularly in rural areas,” he added.Heemphasised on the fact that modalities like cost, battery life, newer technology and process monitoring are yet to be worked out. Referring to the disruptive economy, the Minister asked the Industry to reorient their price structure and also urged the industry to participate in LED street programme aggressively. Talking about the Bureau of Indian Standards, Mr Goyal said the standards need to be better monitored in imported electrical products.The exhibition was organised by Messe Frankfurt Trade Fairs India Pvt Ltd and ELCOMA (Electric Lamp & Component Manufactures’ Association).
Source Link: http://news.webindia123.com/news/Articles/India/20161005/2962387.html
New Delhi, Oct 5 (IANS) Declaring that Indian entrepreneurship needs to be promoted in global electrical industry, Power Minister Piyush Goyal on Wednesday said though foreign technology is welcome in India, the overall aim is to strengthen Indian manufacturing.
“We welcome technology from all around the world but at the end of the day, we would like to strengthen our Indian hands,” Goyal said at the launch of the Light India Exhibition 2016 here.
“I am happy to have imports come in, if we are at level playing field. But if we find that other countries are dumping goods into India, certainly that is not welcome in the country,” the Minister said.
He lauded the innovative concepts like solar street lights on display at the exhibition.
“I can actually imagine putting up not less than 10 or 15 million solar street lights, particularly in rural areas,” Goyal said.
“The industry is reinventing itself and I saw some very new products here and would like to initiative talks for bulk orders,” he added.
Over 275 companies are showcasing intelligent technologies at this electrical building technology exposition.
Industry needs to innovate and redesign electrical equipment that can use the abundant domestic coal which has high fly ash content so as to reduce dependence on imports, Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal said today.
“There is a need for us to become self-reliant and self-sufficient as we have to fight the competition on economic and fair terms,” Goyal said at an event organised by the industry body IEEMA.
“Some of our equipments like boilers have been designed in such a way that there will be coal shortages and that might be forced to depend on imports. But today, with a surplus coal production, we need to develop boilers and other equipment that can use the domestic coal,” the minister said.
He said the country imports nearly USD 10 billion worth of electrical equipment and this needs to change. Explaining the need to lower or end import dependence, he recalled how the natio’s defence preparedness was compromised when a foreign government refused to part defence equipment that we needed the most then. “The surgical strike carried out by the Army yesterday reminds me of the time when we were standing helpless after a country decided not to give us the equipment that we needed.
“And today we are dependent on some inimical countries for critical spares and equipment and if at any critical juncture, the power sector got crippled for lack of spares and adequate equipment, can we handle that?” he asked. Goyal also said he has asked the state-run equipment manufacturer BHEL to redesign some of the boilers to take a larger intake of the high fly ash coal, rather than being dependent on cleaner coal from abroad. “We aspire that we become the laboratory of the world,” the minister said.
Goyal said he has also asked National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC) to innovate and look at technology to replace the existing 35 year-old equipment at its 690 MW Salal project in Jammu and Kashmir with higher capacity equipment to increase the output by 50-100 per cent.
“I have asked NHPC to look at the technology used in other countries like America, Canada, Brazil as to how we can increase the output, may be through replacing the old equipment with higher capacity ones. “As setting up of new hydro projects is challenging mainly due to issues like land availability, cost, R&R, it will be feasible to expand the capacity of existing plants,” Goyal said.
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