Over 25% of electricity in 2022-23 will be from non-fossil fuels : Power and Renewable Energy Minister.

New Delhi : According to the Union Minister for New & Renewable Energy and Power, the percentage of non-fossil fuel in total electricity production for the year 2022-23 was 25.44%, while for the current year up to May 2023, it was 22.45%. As per the National Electricity Plan (Generation Volume I) Gazette, the share of non-fossil-based capacity is expected to increase to 57.4% by the end of 2026-27, and to 68.4% by the end of 2031-32. The percentage of non-fossil fuel-based gross generation is likely to be 39% in 2026-27, and 49% in 2031-32.

The Minister also revealed that India has committed to achieving 50% of cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel-based energy resources by 2030, in line with the updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change (UNFCCC). The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is working towards achieving 500 GW of installed electricity capacity from non-fossil sources by 2030. As of June 30, 2023, the country has installed a total of 176.49 GW of renewable energy capacity, with 88.81 GW under implementation and 51.43 GW under tendering.

The government has taken several measures to promote renewable energy, including allowing Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) up to 100% under the automatic route, waiving Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS) charges for inter-state sale of solar and wind power for projects to be commissioned by 30th June 2025, declaring trajectory for Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) up to the year 2029-30, setting up Ultra Mega Renewable Energy Parks to provide land and transmission to RE developers for installation of RE projects at large scale, and launching schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM), Solar Rooftop Phase II, 12000 MW CPSU Scheme Phase II, etc. The government has also laid new transmission lines and created new sub-station capacity under the Green Energy Corridor Scheme for evacuation of renewable power, notified standards for deployment of solar photovoltaic systems/devices, set up a Project Development Cell for attracting and facilitating investments, and issued standard bidding guidelines for tariff based competitive bidding process for procurement of Power from Grid Connected Solar PV and Wind Projects. Additionally, power shall be dispatched against a Letter of Credit (LC) or advance payment to ensure timely payment by distribution licensees to RE generators, and the government has issued a notification of Promoting Renewable Energy through Green Energy Open Access Rules 2022 and “The Electricity (Late Payment Surcharge and related matters) Rules (LPS rules)”.

The launch of the Green Term Ahead Market (GTAM) aims to facilitate the sale of Renewable Energy Power through exchanges. Recently, the National Green Hydrogen Mission has been launched with the aim to make India a global hub for the production, utilization, and export of Green Hydrogen and its derivatives. The Union Minister for New & Renewable Energy and Power, Shri R. K. Singh, provided this information in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha on August 1, 2023.