Renewable energy projects have received Rs 86,000 crore investment, most of it from private sector, in the last three years with Madhya Pradesh at the top with Rs 14,313.80 crore.
“Most of the investment in renewable energy came from private sector. Total estimated investment in renewable energy power projects during the last three years is around Rs 86,000 crore,” New and Renewable Energy Minister Piyush Goyal said in a written reply to LokSabha on Thursday.
According to the statement, around 15,400 million units has been generated through solar power projects during the last three years.
Madhya Pradesh remained at the top, recording maximum investment in clean energy projects at Rs 14,313.80. It was followed by Maharashtra at Rs 13,743.01 crore, Rajasthan at Rs 11,632.96 crore, Karnataka at Rs 9,586.31 crore, Andhra Pradesh at Rs 9,539.12 crore, Tamil Nadu at Rs 8,961.28 crore and Gujarat at Rs 6,646.35 crore.
The minister also stated that Pondicherry, Laskhwadeep, Dadar& Nagar Haveli, Sikkim, Manipur, Meghalaya and Goa received no investment at all for renewable energy projects in last three years.
According to a separate reply to the House, as on March 31, 2016, a cumulative capacity of 42.76 Gw has been installed from various renewable energy sources, which include 26.78 Gw from Wind, 6.76 Gw from solar, 4.27 Gw from small hydro power and 4.95 Gw from bio-power.
In another reply to the House, the Maharashtra will require the maximum solar power generation capacity of 13,270 Mw by 2021-22 according to the tentative renewable purchase obligation (RPO) requirement estimated by the ministry.
The ministry has estimated 1,02,021 Mw solar power generation capacity to be installed in the entire country by 2021-22.
After Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh’s solar power generation capacity by 2021-22 according to the RPO requirement would be the second highest at 12,124 Mw, followed by Gujarat at 9,796 Mw, Tamil Nadu at 9,398 Mw and Rajasthan 6,953 Mw.
Under RPO, states are mandated by power regulators to have certain proportion of renewable energy capacity in their total power mix to promote clean and green sources like solar and wind.
The minister in another reply to the House stated that the new pithead thermal power plants have the lowest tariff of Rs 3.75 per unit in the first year of operation, compared to Rs 4.5 per unit for solar, Rs 4.6 for hydro, Rs 4.94 for atomic power and Rs 5.49 for non-pithed thermal plants.
However, the levellised tariff for hydro power plats is the lowest at Rs 4 per units, compared to Rs 4.5 for solar, Rs 5 for atomic power, Rs 4.57 for pithead based thermal power and Rs 7.57 per unit for non-pithead based thermal power plant.
NEW DELHI: A proposal to relax norms for utilisation of domestic coal to bring down cost of power generation has been approved by the government, Power Minister Piyush Goyal said today.
He said in LokSabha during Question Hour the decision will provide flexibility in utilisation of domestic coal for reducing the cost of power generation.
The decision by the Union Cabinet yesterday is expected to help reduce cost of power generation by 40-50 paise per unit and will lead to savings of Rs 25,000 crore per annum in 4-5 years.
The Minister said the government has notified a new tariff policy on January 28, which mandates that thermal power plants, located within 50 km radius of sewage treatment plant of a municipality or local body, will in order of their closeness to sewage treatment plant, mandatorily use treated sewage water produced by these bodies.
Power sector may import 48 million tonnes of coal in the ongoing fiscal for plants which need coal from overseas market.
“As per the information received from Central Electricity Authority, 48 mt (million tonnes) of coal is expected to be imported by power sector for import-based coal plants in 2016-17,” Minister of State for Power and Coal Piyush Goyal said in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha.
The minister further said as per the Geological Survey of India, the assessed coal resources up to a depth of 1,200 metres as on April 1, 2015, are 306.595 billion tonnes (BT), of which the proved reserves are about 132 BT or 43%.
At the current rate of coal production of about 0.64 BT per annum, the reserves are envisaged to last for over 100 years, he said. India has both coking and non-coking coals. The grade of coking coal varies from steel grade I to Washery Grade IV and semi coking coal grade I to Grade II.
Coking coals are graded on the basis of ash content and semi coking coal on the basis of ash plus moisture content.
Non coking coals are graded as per gross calorific value into 17 grades G1 (highest) to G17 (lowest).
In a separate reply, the minister said during April-January period of 2015-16, import of coal declined by 4.3% over the corresponding period of the previous fiscal.
The coal production in the last fiscal grew by 4.8% over 2014-15.
The government seeks to meet the domestic demand by increasing coal production to the extent possible by facilitating environment and forest clearances expeditiously, pursuing with the state government for assistance in land acquisition and coordinated efforts with railways for movement of coal, Goyal said.
Source Link: http://www.dnaindia.com/money/report-power-sector-may-import-48mt-coal-in-fy17-piyush-goyal-2208305
NEW DELHI: India will definitely achieve the target for enhancing solar power capacity and add 10,500 MW in the current fiscal, New & Renewable Energy Minister Piyush Goyal said on Friday.
India has set an ambitious target of adding one lakh MW of solar power generation capacity by 2022 which is five times more than the earlier target of 20,000 MW under National Solar Mission.
“The way things are progressing in solar energy sector. We will definitely achieve our target. Solar energy is economically viable,” Goyal said at an event here.
Some experts and consultancies have expressed apprehension about huge targets of solar power capacity addition during the current fiscal. “Our estimates show that unless challenges like transmission and financing are addressed urgently, the industry will miss the targets by big margins,” Bridge to India Managing Director Vinay Rustagi said.
However, consulting firm Bridge to India said in its latest edition of India Solar Handbook report released earlier this month that “India is poised to become the fourth largest solar market in 2016, leaving behind three major European solar markets (UK, Germany and France) with expected new capacity addition of 5.4 GW in 2016.”
The minister said: “A target of adding 10,500 MW solar power has been set for this fiscal. It is four to five time more than last year (target of 2000 MW). For achieving this target we have already floated tenders for 21,000 MW solar power projects during last fiscal. With 21,000 MW of new solar projects out in the market, India has signalled to the world that we’re ready to lead.”
He added: “The preliminary studies have found that there is potential of 7.5 Lakh MW solar energy in the country which is a big target. India will achieve this target. “When our government came in 2014, the target was to add 20,000 MW solar power generation capacity. Prime Minister Narendra Modi increased that target by five time to one lakh MW.” The minister also said that India has exceeded solar targets by 116 per cent this year in comparison to last year and already had awarded solar projec ..
Power shortage was at 2.1 percent — the lowest level in a single year — in last financial year, Parliament was informed.
“During 2015-16, the energy shortage was 2.1 percent, which is the lowest ever in a single year,” Power Minister Piyush Goyal said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.
The minister further stated that India is importing power only from Bhutan at present.
The imported power is mainly Bhuta’s surplus power from hydro stations commissioned in Bhutan with the assistance from the Government of India.
During 2015-16, energy imported from Bhutan was about 5 billion units (BU), the minister added. During 2014-15, electricity shortage, when total demand outstrip supply during peak hours, was 3.6 percent whereas it was slightly higher at 4.2 percent in 2013-14 and 8.7 percent in 2012-13.
In another reply, the minister said that during the 12th Plan period, a target of 88,537 MW excluding 30,000 MW of Renewal Energy source, was fixed for capacity addition.
Against this, cumulative capacity addition of 84,990.7 MW has been achieved as on March 31, 2016. In a separate reply to the house, the minister said that at present, there is no shortage of coal in the country. None of the coal-based power generation plants across the country has reported any loss of generation due to shortage of coal during 2015-16.
The minister further stated that at present, as on April 21, 2016, coal stock at power plants has been reported to be more than 37 Million Tonne (MT) by power utilities which is sufficient for operation of power plants for about 25 days. However, he said that at present, there is some deficit in availability of domestic gas.
“Due to government initiative, the scheme of utilisation of RLNG (Regassified Liquefied Natural Gas) helped in improving the generation from gas based power stations. During 2015-16, the growth of generation from gas based power station was 14.6 percent over the same period last year,” he said.
Enhanced availability of domestic coal has offset shortage of gas and has resulted in growth in overall thermal generation from coal & gas based power plants to 7.4 percent during the year 2015-16 as well as reduction of 10.6 MT import of coal by power sector, he added.
India will definitely achieve the target for enhancing solar power capacity and add 10,500 MW in the current fiscal, New & Renewable Energy Minister Piyush Goyal said today.
India has set an ambitious target of adding one lakh MW of solar power generation capacity by 2022 which is five times more than the earlier target of 20,000 MW under National Solar Mission.
“The way things are progressing in solar energy sector. We will definitely achieve our target. Solar energy is economically viable,” Goyal said at an event here. Some experts and consultancies have expressed apprehension about huge targets of solar power capacity addition during the current fiscal.
“Our estimates show that unless challenges like transmission and financing are addressed urgently, the industry will miss the targets by big margins,” Bridge to India Managing Director Vinay Rustagi said.
However, consulting firm Bridge to India said in its latest edition of India Solar Handbook report released earlier this month that “India is poised to become the fourth largest solar market in 2016, leaving behind three major European solar markets (UK, Germany and France) with expected new capacity addition of 5.4 GW in 2016.” The minister said: “A target of adding 10,500 MW solar power has been set for this fiscal. It is four to five time more than last year (target of 2000 MW). For achieving this target we have already floated tenders for 21,000 MW solar power projects during last fiscal. With 21,000 MW of new solar projects out in the market, India has signalled to the world that we’re ready to lead.” He added: “The preliminary studies have found that there is potential of 7.5 Lakh MW solar energy in the country which is a big target. India will achieve this target.
“When our government came in 2014, the target was to add 20,000 MW solar power generation capacity. Prime Minister Narendra Modi increased that target by five time to one lakh MW.” The minister also said that India has exceeded solar targets by 116 per cent this year in comparison to last year and already had awarded solar projects of 11,000 MW.
BHOPAL: The Centre’s ambitious National LED programme, Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All (UJALA), will be implemented across the country by 2019, Minister for Power and Coal, Piyush Goyal said today.
“Since the UJALA scheme was launched a year ago on May 1, a total of 9 crore LED bulbs were sold in the country, which means people will get the benefit of Rs 5,500 crore in their electricity bills. It will be implemented across the country by 2019,” Goyal said here while launching the scheme in Madhya Pradesh.
“Nearly 77 crore incandescent bulbs will be replaced till 2019 in the country which will ensure an annual benefit of Rs 40,000 crore to the people in their electricity bills and this will lead the country to fulfil its need of energy security, which is very vital for the nation as it will reduce dependability on coal.”
Citing an example, Goyal said a 9-W LED bulb gives the same luminosity compared with a 100-W incandescent lamp while consuming less than one-tenth of the power. “If you save one unit of electricity, it means you are saving 1.33 unit of power for the nation,” he explained.
Goyal touched on the criticality of the programme in ensuring the country’s energy security, saying that when a power station generates 1.33 unit of power, only 1 unit actually reaches the consumer due to transmission issues.
The cost of a 9-W LED bulb under the scheme is Rs 85 only and Madhya Pradesh has set a target of switching over to this mode in the next one-and-a-half years, which would make it the only state in the country to achieve 100 per cent target on this front.
He lauded the state for its efforts in enhancing its renewable energy capacity to 1,500 MW in 2014-15, which jumped 100 per cent to 3,000 MW in 2015-16.
The world’s largest solar power plant, the minister said, is coming up in Madhya Pradesh’s Rewa district and the state government is making all efforts to get it inaugurated by the Prime Minister.
Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced that on the lines of UJALA, the Centre has launched Ujjwala scheme under which the government will provide LPG connections with gas stoves to poor women.
He called upon people to replace old lamps with LED bulbs to save power and make it cheaper.
State energy minister Rajendra Shukla disclosed that after selling the targetted 3 crore LED bulbs, Madhya Pradesh would order for 7 crore more bulbs in the next phase.
NEW DELHI: India is committed to cutting down carbon emission by 30-35 per cent and energy efficiency is vital to achieve the target, Power Minister Piyush Goyal said today.
“Distribution of 10 crore LED bulbs is not only our achievement, but of the consumers as well. India has a clear vision to reduce carbon emissions by 30-35 per cent and energy efficiency is pivotal to achieving this target.
Through the UJALA scheme, we have demonstrated our commitment to the country and the world. Taking this commitment forward, we would be procuring 20 crore bulbs this year, leading to more reduction in carbon emission,” the minister said in a statement.
The government has distributed over 10 crore LED bulbs across the country under the Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All (UJALA) scheme, the statement issued by the power ministry said.
The scheme was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in January 2015.
“More than 10 crore LED bulbs distributed! Reducing electricity bills & Reducing impact on environment #iLEDtheWay,” Goyal tweeted.
“10 cr LED bulbs are already saving Rs 5000 cr/ year. By 2019, Rs 40,000 cr of savings / year #TransformingIndia,” he further tweeted.
EW YORK: Eyeing an investment of $1 trillion in the energy sector, India will set up help desks across the country as well as in the US, the UK, Australia and Japan to handhold investors through laws and regulations.
Interacting with reporters here yesterday, Minister for Power, Coal and New and Renewable Energy PiyushGoyal, currently in the US, said investors have mainly expressed concerns on two issues — health of power distribution companies and different regulations and regimes in states.
“One very good suggestion… is we should have a help desk in Delhi or different parts of India which can help investors navigate different tax laws and regulatory mechanisms. As soon as I get back, I am looking at setting that up,” he said.
The Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Ltd ( IREDA) is likely to be the nodal agency that would set up such help desks.
“I am also going to explore the possibility of having such a help desk which can give credible guidance and help people navigate in their investments in the US, Europe, Japan and Australia as well,” he said.
The department is already looking at standard Power Purchase Agreements across the country and has tied up with states to bring out a framework of agreement to help investors across the world.
While investors expressed concern on financial health of discoms is some states, they were at the same time “excited” about the potential of the UDAY scheme for turnaround of the power distribution companies.
According to Goyal, India offers the world a huge market opportunity with a demand growth of quadrupling energy consumption by 2030.
“I see in the next 5-6 years a $250 billion opportunity in the energy sector and by 2030, when we are planning to expand renewable energy also very significantly, I see a trillion dollar investment opportunity in India,” he said.
Goyal claimed that this kind of investment would be unparalleled and expressed confidence that savvy investors will see great hope and potential in the Indian power sector.
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