India’s Renewable Energy Report Card for 2017

India’s massive 175 GW of renewable energy installations by 2022 is the largest capacity expansion program in the world. This includes 60 GW from wind power, 100 GW from solar power, 10 GW from biomass power and 5 GW from small hydropower.

India currently ranks as the fourth largest wind power country and sixth largest solar power country in the world. As of November 2017, a total of 62 GW renewable power was installed.

India achieved a historical low tariff of INR 2.44/ unit for solar power and INR 2.64/ unit for wind.

India is now estimating 40% of its cumulative electric power capacity to be generated from non-fossil fuel based energy resources by 2030.

Various government incentives, like generation-based incentives (GBIs), subsidies, viability gap funding, concessional finance and other incentives etc. have led to a country-wide speedy adoption of renewable energy.

Several schemes namely (i) Defence scheme (ii) Central Public Sector Undertakings (CPSUs) scheme (iii) Bundling scheme (iv) Canal Bank/ Canal Top scheme (v) VGF Scheme (vi) Solar Park scheme (vii) Solar rooftops, have been initiated/launched by the Ministry under National Solar Mission which are under implementation.

Some highlights of the year gone by:

i) A total of 11788 MW of renewable energy capacity (grid-connected) was added between January 2017 and November 2017 in India.

ii) A total of 467.11 MW wind energy capacity was added till November 2017. India is now the fourth largest country in terms of wind energy generation capacity after China, USA and Germany.

iii) Solar energy projects with an aggregate capacity of over 16611 MW (including 864 MW from solar rooftop projects) have been installed in the country.

iv) A total of 1.42 lakh solar pumps (cumulative till November 2017) have been installed.

v) A cumulative Biomass power capacity of 8181.70 MW was installed as on 30.11. 2017.

vi) Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh are the eight renewable-rich Indian states.

vii) India was also leading a leading country along with France in the formation of International Solar Alliance (ISA).