Remote Areas to be Powered as India Adds 30,000 Megawatts of Renewables

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Written by Richard Finlayson, Senior International Editor for Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--India's renewable power capacity is currently 26,267 megawatts (MW), but is targeted to reach 56,267 MW by the end of 2017, according to the country's 12th Five-Year Plan, as 30,000 MW of renewable power are added.

Dr. Farooq Abdullah, the Minister for Renewable Energy, told parliament that the plan was to raise renewable share of the country's power mix from 6% to 8%, although the major contributors would be thermal and hydropower sources. The country's Jawaharlal Nehru Solar Mission aims to add 20,000 MW of installed solar power by 2022, with the current total of installed solar standing at 1,045 MW.

In the Ladakh region (Jammu and Kashmir), the plan is to implement renewable projects to minimize the dependency on diesel-fueled generators. This will be done through small/micro hydropower and solar photovoltaic projects, with solar thermal systems supporting domestic water heating, space heating and cooking requirements. The project plans to set up solar power plants in 70 villages and 120 institutions, as well as influence the distribution of solar systems in the region.

Abdullah said that the government had received proposals from state governments' agencies under the Remote Village (RVE) program. The proposals sought funding for lighting and basic electrification through renewable sources in remote, unelectrified villages and hamlets where grid extension was not feasible. Support had also been provided for the coverage of 623 remote villages in Madhya Pradesh under RVE.

Under the program, the federal government provides financial assistance of up to 90% of the cost of systems to the states, subject to a pre-specified maximum amount for each technology for all approved projects.

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