Power generation from renewable energy sources increased to 7.54%: Piyush Goyal

Clean energy share has increased to 7.54% of the India’s total power generation during April-September this fiscal. During this time frame the total power generation of 47.62 billion units out of 631.84 billion units was from renewable energy sources said  New & Renewable Energy Minister Piyush Goyal in Rajya Sabha.

Goyal in a statement said in 2015-16, total power generation in the country was 1,173.60 BU including 65.78 BU (or 5.60 per cent of total generation) from renewable energy sources.  The share of power generation from renewable sources was 5.56 per cent at 61.78 BU in 2014-15. India’s total power generation in that fiscal was 1,110.45 BU.

As on October 31, 2016 the total installed capacity from various renewable energy sources in the country is- 28,279 MW from wind, 8,728 MW from solar, 4,997 MW from bio-power and 4,323 MW from small hydro power.

In a reply to the House, the Minister said, “Silicon in any form (Raw poly, ingot or wafer) is not produced in India. All cell makers currently import wafers only.”

PTI citing information received from Ministry of Commerce reports that 7, 39,039 kg of undefused silicon wafers and 3, 12,616 Kg of others were imported during 2015-16.

Goyal said that for the poly silicon available globally, rates vary from USD 11 per kg to USD 20 per kg. He stated that capital subsidy has been provided by the government to encourage manufacturing of solar cells and module in the country under Modified Special Incentive Package Scheme (M-SIPS) programme.

“Solar Photovoltaic products and their value chain including Polysilicon is an eligible vertical for incentives under M-SIPS. Till date, one project with a proposed investment of Rs 13,985 crore has been received under M-SIPS where Polysilicon has been proposed to be domestically produced,” said Goyal.

With PTI Inputs