Lok Sabha Question No. 4198 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-26
Subject: Renewable Energy Target
Ministry: NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY
Asked by: Smt. Jyotsna Charandas Mahant, Adv Dean Kuriakose

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4198

ANSWERED ON 26/03/2025

## RENEWABLE ENERGY TARGET

## 4198. SMT. JYOTSNA CHARANDAS MAHANT: ADV DEAN KURIAKOSE:

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

- (a) the progress made in achieving India's renewable energy target of 500 GW by the year 2030;
- (b) the status of the National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM) and investments made in green hydrogen production;
- (c) the challenges in integrating renewable energy into the national grid and solutions proposed; and
- (d) the Government's initiatives to promote offshore wind energy projects?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF  STATE  FOR NEW & RENEWABLE ENERGY AND POWER

## (SHRI SHRIPAD YESSO NAIK)

- (a) As on 28.02.2025, a total of 222.86 GW non-fossil power capacity has been installed in the country which includes 102.57 GW solar power, 48.59 GW wind power, 11.45 GW bio-power, 52.07 GW hydro  power  and  8.18  GW  nuclear  power.  Further,  projects  of  about  183.19  GW  are  under implementation and projects of 77.21 GW have been tendered.
- (b)  The  Ministry  of  New  and  Renewable  Energy  is  implementing  the  National  Green  Hydrogen Mission,  with  an  objective  to  make  India  a  global  hub  of  production,  usage  and  export  of  Green Hydrogen and its derivatives.

India's  Green  Hydrogen production capacity is likely to reach 5 MMT per annum, contributing to reduction in dependence on import of fossil fuels. Achievement of Mission targets is expected to reduce a cumulative ₹ 1 lakh crore worth of fossil fuel imports by 2030. This is likely to leverage over ₹8 lakh crore in total investments and create over 6 lakh jobs.

Under the Incentive scheme for Green Hydrogen production, 8,62,000 tonnes per annum of Green Hydrogen  production  capacity  awarded  to  18  companies.  Further,  under  the  Incentive  scheme  for Electrolyser Manufacturing, 3000 MW per annum of electrolyser manufacturing capacity awarded to 15 companies.

A production capacity of 8,62,000 tonnes per annum of Green Hydrogen has been allocated, while electrolyser manufacturing capacity of 3,000 MW per annum has been assigned.

Scheme  Guidelines  for  Implementation  of  Strategic  Interventions  for  Green  Hydrogen  Transition (SIGHT) Programme - Component - II: Incentive for Procurement of Green Ammonia Production

(under Mode - 2A) and Component - II: Incentive for Procurement of Green Hydrogen Production (under Mode - 2B), under the Mission have been issued on 16 th January 2024.

Additionally,  scheme  guidelines  have  been  issued  for  implementing  Green  Hydrogen-based  pilot projects in the steel, shipping, and road transport sectors. Total three pilot projects have been sanctioned in the steel sector. Five pilot projects have been sanctioned consisting total of 37 vehicles (buses and trucks), and 9 hydrogen refueling stations. The vehicles that will be deployed for the trials include 15 hydrogen fuel cell-based vehicles and 22 hydrogen internal combustion engine-based vehicles.

(c) Wind and Solar energy are variable and intermittent sources of power. The measures taken by the Government to address the challenges in integrating renewable energy into the national grid, include:

(i) Laying of new transmission lines and creating new sub-station capacity has been funded under the Green Energy Corridor Scheme for evacuation of renewable power.

(ii) To augment transmission infrastructure needed for steep RE trajectory, transmission plan has been prepared till 2030.

(iii)  Government  has  set  up  thirteen  Renewable  Energy  Management  Centres  (REMCs)  for  better forecasting and real time monitoring of RE generation.

(iv) Load dispatch centres ensure that electricity demand is fully met using dispatchable sources such as hydro and thermal power when the wind does not blow and sun does not shine.

(v) Installation of Static Synchronous Compensators (STATCOMs) to improve the grid reliability and voltage stability limit. A STATCOM acts as a voltage controller for the electricity grid, quickly adding or removing extra power to keep the system running smoothly.

(vi) Central Electricity Authority (Technical Standards for Connectivity to the Grid) Regulations lay down the minimum technical requirements for RE generating plants to ensure the safe, secure and reliable operation of the grid.

(d) Government has taken several initiatives to promote offshore wind energy projects in the country, as given at Annexure.

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## Annexure referred to in reply of part (d) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question

## No. 4198 to be answered on 26.03.2025

Government has taken several initiatives to promote offshore wind energy projects in the country. These, inter alia , include;

- Notification  of  'Offshore  Wind  Energy  Policy'  in  October  2015  to  provide  framework  for  the development of offshore wind energy in the country.
- Issuance of 'Guidelines for Offshore wind Power Assessment, Studies and Surveys' in September, 2018 by National Institute of Wind Energy (NIWE) in order to facilitate the offshore wind studies/surveys by interested developers.
- For initial phase of developments, potential offshore wind zones off the coast of Gujarat and Tamil Nadu have been identified through meso-scale study.
- Installation of a LiDAR by NIWE off the coast of Gujarat in Nov, 2017 and collection of 02 years wind data.  NIWE has also  conducted  Geophysical,  Geotechnical  study,  Rapid  EIA  study,  Oceanographic study (Wave, Tide & current) for a site equivalent to 1 GW capacity off the coast of Gujarat.
- Geotechnical study at three bore hole locations carried out off Tamil Nadu coast. Further, 4 LiDARs off Tamil Nadu coast installed for wind resource measurement.
- Issuance  of  a  'Strategy  Paper  for  Establishment  of  Offshore  Wind  Energy  Projects'  in  July,  2022 indicating various development models.
- The  Offshore  Wind  Energy  Lease  Rules,  2023  have  been  notified  to  regulate  the  grant  of  lease  of offshore areas for development of offshore wind energy projects.
- Central Transmission Utility (CTU) has completed the planning for initial 10 GW offshore transmission capacity (05 GW each off Gujarat and Tamil Nadu coast).
- Government through Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has issued first tender for 'Leasing out Seabed for  development of  4  GW  of  Offshore  Wind Power  Projects'  under  Captive  Mode/bilateral agreements/Open Access Mode.
- The Union Cabinet has approved the 'Viability Gap Funding (VGF) scheme for offshore wind energy projects'  on  19.06.2024  at  a  total  outlay  of  ₹  7453  crore,  including  an  outlay  of  ₹  6853  crore  for installation and commissioning of 1 GW of offshore wind energy projects (500 MW each off the coast of Gujarat and Tamil Nadu), and grant of ₹ 600 crore for upgradation of two ports to meet logistics requirements for offshore wind energy projects. The scheme guidelines for implementation of 'VGF Scheme for Offshore Wind Energy Projects' issued on 11th September 2024.
- SECI has issued tender for 500 MW offshore wind energy project off Gujarat coast on 13th September 2024 under VGF scheme.
- Offshore Wind has been included in the list of activities to be considered for trading of Carbon Credits under bilateral/co-operative approaches as per Article 6.2 Mechanism of Paris Agreement.
- Waiver of Inter-State Transmission (ISTS) Charges has been extended for offshore wind power projects commissioned on or before 31.12.2032 with graded ISTS charges thereafter.
- Waiver  of  additional  surcharge  is  granted  for  electricity  produced  from  offshore  wind  projects commissioned up to December, 2032 and supplied to Open Access Consumers.

Annexure