Lok Sabha Question No. 3418 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-15
Subject: Policy for Promotion of New & Renewable Energy
Ministry: NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY
Asked by: C. MAHENDRAN, DEVUSINH JESINGBHAI CHAUHAN, PARESH RAWAL, DIPSINH SHANKARSINH RATHOD

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-3418 TO BE ANSWERED ON-15.03.2018

## POLICY FOR PROMOTION OF NEW & RENEWABLE ENERGY

## 3418. SHRI C. MAHENDRAN SHRI DEVUSINH CHAUHAN SHRI PARESH RAVAL SHRI D.S.RATHOD

Will the Minister of NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY be pleased to state:-

(a) whether the Government has introduced any policy to promote the new and renewable energy in the country;

- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government is of the opinion that, in a country where power-for-all is still a distant dream, a rapid transformation to green energy is unfeasible;
- (d) if so, the details thereto;

(e) whether solar and wind energy prices are also plummeting in the country after a series of record low bids in auctions across the country and are seemingly competing with coal-fired power plants; and

(f) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR NEW & RENEWABLE ENERGY AND POWER (I/C) (SHRI R.K. SINGH)

(a) and (b) The Government of India has undertaken a number of policy measures for increasing share of  renewable  energy  in  India's  energy  mix.  These,  inter-alia,  include:  a)  Provision  of  Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) under the National Tariff Policy; b) Notification of the long term growth trajectory of RPO for solar and non-solar energy for next 3 years from 2016-17, 2017-18 and 201819; c) Development of Solar Parks and Ultra Mega Solar Power Projects; d) Development of power transmission network through Green Energy Corridor project; e) Making roof top solar as a part of housing  loan  provided  by  banks;  f)  Waiver  of  Inter-State  Transmission  Charges  and  losses;  g) Repowering  of  Wind  Power  Projects  for  optimal  utilization  of  wind  resources;  h)  Offshore  wind energy policy for development of offshore wind energy in the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone; i) Supporting research and development on various aspects of renewable energy including with industry participation;  j)  Financial  incentives  for  off-grid  and  decentralized    renewable  energy  systems  and devices for meeting energy needs for cooking, lighting and productive purposes; and h) Permitting 100 percent Foreign Direct Investment in sector through automatic route.

(c) & (d) No, Madam. The Government of India has set up a target of installing 175 GW capacity through renewables by 2022. As on 28.02.2018, a total capacity of 65 GW had been installed in the country.

(e) and (f) The lowest tariff discovered for solar at Bhadala solar Park in Rajasthan in May 2017, and for wind in the tariff-based capacity auction of Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Ltd in December 2017 were Rs. 2.44/KWh and Rs 2.43/KWh respectively. However, the cost of production of energy from solar and wind energy sources varies from place to place depending upon, inter-alia, insolation, wind speed, cost of land, cost of financing  and basic infrastructure.  It is true that in some projects tariff of solar and  wind  power  discovered  is  in  the  range  or  even  lesser  as  compared  to  the  cost  of  coal  based thermal power plants.