Committed to Advanced Technology and Replace Coal-Fired Plants: RK Singh

RK Singh has said that India is strongly committed to its renewable energy targets and that it is working towards advancing the technology that is adopted

Union Minister for Power and New & Renewable Energy RK Singh has affirmed that India is strongly committed to its renewable energy targets and that it is constantly working towards advancing the technology that is adopted for the expansion of its renewable sources.

Speaking at the virtual “India PV Edge 2020” symposium, the minister said that future energy bids would be planned to encourage manufacturing using the advanced and latest technology. He also said that the ministry (MNRE) is committed to electrifying the economy and greening the electricity and pointed out the ambition of green transport and clean cooking based on electricity.

Follow us on Twitter

“India has the largest renewable energy growing capacity in the world. India had promised on the sidelines of COP-21 that by 2030, 40 percent of the country’s energy capacity would be from non-fossil fuel sources. We are already at 38.5 percent and by 2030, 60 percent of our energy capacity is expected to be from non-fossil fuel sources,” he said.

The symposium was organised by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), the government think-tank NITI Aayog and Invest India.

Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog said “India should innovate in every part of the value chain and strategically collaborate with global innovators to take a generation leap in solar PV manufacturing. I urge the Indian solar industry and research labs to focus on new technologies like direct wafer manufacturing, hetero-junction, tandem cells, and biaxial modules.”

In his speech, the minister also said that India is planning to replace retiring coal-fired power plants with renewable generating capacity in a bid to cut the nation’s carbon footprint. “The addition of RE capacity will continue due to two reasons, one because the country’s power demand is growing and another due to replacement gradually phasing out traditional power generating systems with renewable energy systems,” he said.

“Many of those plants are getting retired,” he said, adding that “some plants are already retired, and about 29 more plants are going to retire, and all that space will be occupied by renewable energy.”

India is the world’s second-largest coal consumer after China and the third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases. Coal-fired plants currently account for over half of its nearly 373 GW power generating capacity, presenting a monumental task of replacing it in time. However, a task and target the minister believes will be accomplished sooner rather than later.