The Tuesday Interview | 'Centre addressing key challenges in the green energy sector'

India has set an ambitious target of generating over 500 Gigawatts of renewable energy by 2030. To achieve this, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, which is piloting India’s green energy projects, recently organised the Global Renewable Energy Investment Meet & Expo in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. The event aimed to attract investment in the sector, and the ministry has announced that it has received investment commitments worth 540 GW capacity addition from the states. DH’s
Ajith Athrady spoke to Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi. Excerpts:

How is the government planning to meet the green energy targets?

Real work in renewable energy started after 2014. India’s installed renewable energy capacity has increased from 75.52 GW in March 2014 to more than 207.7 GW now, a 175% increase in the last 10 years. In the Re-Invest meet, states have given ‘Sankalp Patra’ (commitment) of 540 GW green energy generation. This will take us to more than 700 GW by 2030.

The green energy industry has been raising several logistical issues.

Indeed, the industry has raised the issue of persisting hurdles in the renewable energy sector, including transmission, evacuation, and financing. For transmission, states are creating intra-state systems and the Power Grid Corporation is creating inter-state systems. The central government is also working with states to facilitate the ‘right to the way’. Several states are reluctant to grant open access to the green energy sector. I will take up these issues with states and resolve them. Financial institutions have also committed to an additional Rs 32.45 lakh crore of investments by 2030.

Isn’t the target of an additional Rs 32.45 lakh crore too ambitious?

We are on the right track in attracting investment in the green energy sector. With significant advancements in solar and wind power, the country now ranks fourth globally in renewable energy capacity. Furthermore, State-owned RECs have committed to increasing their renewables loan book to over Rs 3 lakh crore by 2030.

The Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) has committed Rs 5 lakh crore investment. Several banks, including the State Bank of India, have committed to financing the green energy sector.

In the first 100 days of Modi 3.0, a total of 6 GW of renewable energy capacity was commissioned between June and August, against the target of 4.5 GW. With this, the non-fossil fuel-based installed generation capacity has reached 207.76 GW.

The investment commitments made by states to the green energy sector show their enthusiasm for attracting investment in the clean energy sector.

What about the supply chain for the renewable eco-system?

Manufacturers have committed to production capacity of 340 GW in solar modules, 240 GW in solar cells, 22 gigawatts in wind turbines, and 10 gigawatts in electrolysers. I am confident that this would make India a hub for solar equipment manufacturing while catering to the domestic demand. 

What is the current status of the government’s flagship green energy programmes?

The Centre launched PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana to provide rooftop solar installation to 10 million households with an allocation of Rs 75,000 crore. Under the PM Surya Ghar Scheme,
3.56 lakh rooftop solar systems have been installed. More than 13 million have registered since its launch in February.

Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM Kusum) envisages setting up 100 GW of solar power plants in farmer-owned land, installing 14 lakh solar pumps, and solarising 35 lakh grid-connected agricultural pumps. More than one lakh solar pumps have been installed under PM KUSUM. Demands from the states under this scheme have been steadily rising.

You are an MP from Karnataka. The BJP in the state is divided over protesting against the Congress government’s involvement in the ‘Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribe Development Corporation’ scam and the diversion of SC/ST welfare funds.

There may be differences in some issues, but we are united in fighting against the Congress government in Karnataka and will continue our fight against the misuse of funds by Valmiki Development Corporation. As far as the demand to hold a protest march to Bellary is concerned, after discussion with the party national president (J P Nadda) and Union Home Minister (Amit Shah) the party will decide on the next phase of the fight (against the state government). So everyone will sit together, discuss, and decide.

The bickering within Karnataka’s BJP continues, with senior leader Basanagouda Patil Yatnal and former minister Ramesh Jarkiholi criticising state BJP President B Y Vijayendra...

There is no internal bickering. Whatever the differences are, they will be resolved. The BJP state in-charge national general secretary, Radha Mohan Das Agarwal, is addressing the issues. Everything will be solved. Our main goal is to expose the corrupt Congress government, and we will do it.