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Piyush Goyal

India Adds Highest-ever Wind Energy Capacity, Beats Target By 35%

written by saurabh

India witnessed yet another record year for wind energy capacity addition in financial year 2016-17, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy recently reported.

The Minister for Power, Coal and New & Renewable Energy Piyush Goyal recently told the Indian Parliament that a record 5,400 megawatt wind energy capacity was added during the financial year 2016-17 (April 2016 to March 2017). This is 35% more than the envisaged target of 4,000 megawatts set at the start of the financial year.

The states of Andhra Pradesh (2,190 megawatts), Gujarat (1,275 megawatts) and Karnataka (882 megawatts) dominated the capacity addition, Goyal added. These figures may change as the ministry continues to compile the final capacity addition numbers.

India had also managed to beat the wind energy capacity addition target for financial year 2015-16. A total of 3,423 megawatts wind energy capacity was added that year compared to the target of 2,400 megawatts. Wind energy contributed nearly half of the total renewable energy capacity added that year in the country.

A strong capacity addition number was expected in the wind energy sector as some crucial financial incentives were set to expire at the end of the financial year 2016-17. It is not immediately clear if the projects commissioned in 2016-17 will be eligible for those incentives but the last month of the financial year saw a huge jump in capacity addition.

Between April 2016 and February 2017, a total of 2,374 megawatts of wind energy capacity was added. In March 2017 alone the capacity addition jumped to 3,026 megawatts.

04/14/2017 0 comment

Renewable Energy

India’s Solar Power Capacity Grows 4-fold In 3 Years To 10 Gigawatts

written by saurabh

All-out efforts by the Indian government to boost renewable energy generation in the country have reached another milestone as the operational solar power capacity crossed 10 gigawatts.

The Minister of power, coal and renewable energy Piyush Goyal recently stated that the installed solar power capacity in India has crossed 10 gigawatts. The milestone was achieved after a 45 megawatts project was commissioned at Badhla solar power park in India. The solar power park will host one of the cheapest projects in the country.

In May 2014, when the present government came to power, the installed solar power capacity was 2,600 megawatts. The new government increased the targeted installed solar power capacity from 22 gigawatts by 2022 to 100 gigawatts. Several millions dollars were announced in financial support while state governments were encouraged to increase the share of solar power in their power mix. This led to a massive increase in solar power auctions, competition and sharp fall in tariffs.

A total of 14 gigawatts capacity is reportedly under construction or at the design stage. A large portion of this capacity is expected to be commissioned during the upcoming financial year, stating 1 April 2017. An additional 6 gigawatts capacity is also scheduled to be auctioned soon.

The government expects installed solar power capacity to grow to 20 gigawatts over the next 15 months.

Way behind target

While achieving 10 gigawatts solar power capacity is no mean feat, especially if one considers that the capacity was just 2.6 gigawatts three years back, the capacity addition lags well behind the target set by the government itself.

The Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) had set a target to add 12 gigawatts solar power capacity between 1 April 2016 and 31 March 2017. On 10 March 2017, the cumulative installed solar power capacity in India stood at 10 gigawatts, meaning that only around 3.2 gigawatts was added since 1 April 2016.

03/15/2017 0 comment

Renewable Energy

India’s Solar Power Tenders Tally Crosses 20 GW

written by saurabh

The Indian Minister for New and Renewable Energy recently gave an update about the solar power capacity tendered so far in the country.

Piyush Goyal, who heads the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy, reported to the Indian Parliament that a total of 20,766 MW capacity solar power tenders have so far been floated. Almost all, if not all, of these tenders are for solar PV technology with the ministry much less enthusiastic about concentrated solar power due to the poor performance of initial projects.

The minister reported that power purchase agreements for 8,482 MW capacity have already been signed. It is, however, not clear if this includes the installed capacity of 8,062 MW as on 31 July 2016.

Letters of Intent have been issued for a capacity of 3,392 MW while financial bids have been opened for 1,930 MW. Bids for 6,962 MW are yet to be opened.

The ministry has set a target to add 12 GW solar power capacity this financial year which is the most ambitious target ever announced for the sector.

The Indian government is looking to install large-scale solar power projects in the form of solar power parks around the country. At present, the ministry has approved solar power parks in 21 states with cumulative capacity of 19,900 MW. Phase two of the program will add another 20 GW capacity; this phase may be implemented through the introduction of solar zones.

08/20/2016 0 comment