419.74 MW Installed in February, Renewable Capacity in India at 92.97 GW

MNRE in its monthly summary has detailed that with 419.74 MW installed in February, total renewable energy capacity in India has reached 92.97 GW.

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has issued a monthly summary for the Cabinet for the month of February 2021, detailing all the events and development that took place during the month. The ministry has detailed that with 419.74 MW capacity installed during the month, India’s total renewable energy (RE) capacity has reached 92.97 GW as of February 28, 2021.

The monthly report detailed that solar made up 39.08 GW of the total, closely followed by wind at 38.79 GW and then 10.31 GW from Bio-power and finally 4.79 GW from small hydro projects. The ministry has revealed that projects of 50.15 GW capacity are at various stages of implementation and that 27.02 GW capacity currently under various stages of bidding.

This is only the second month in India’s renewable energy history when solar capacity has been ahead of wind in the grid, after it took a narrow lead for the very first time in January 2021. Becoming the leading source of renewable energy in India.

The ministry has also revealed that an expenditure of Rs 2565.52 crore has been incurred up to February 28, 2021, which is around 71.44 percent of the total revised estimate for the ministry for the full fiscal of 2020-21.

Recently, the Standing Committee on Energy had presented its ‘Demand for Grants 2021-22’ report for the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) in the parliament. Based on its findings and observations, the parliamentary panel was of the opinion that that variation in budgetary allocations at the stage of revised estimates and low utilisation of even the decreased allocated amounts under various heads are symptomatic of poor financial planning by the Ministry.

In its findings, the committee did observe that the Gross Budgetary Support to the Ministry was substantially decreased at the time of revised estimates. The allocation was reduced by about 26 percent during the year 2019-20 and about 38 percent for 2020-21. However, to its disbelief, it also found that the Ministry had not been able to fully utilise even the decreased allocations during the previous years. It could utilise 86.97 percent, 91.53 percent and 69.78 percent of revised budgetary allocations during the years 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21 (upto January 2021 – now 71.44 percent upto February 28, 2021) respectively.

Other highlights:

• The Ministry vide order dated February 04, 2021, had issued amendments in Specifications and Testing Procedure for Standalone Solar Pumps.
• The Ministry of Power vide Gazette Notification dated February 05, 2021, had issued amendments to the Guidelines for Tariff Based Competitive Bidding Process for Procurement of Round-The Clock Power from Grid Connected Renewable Energy Power Projects, complemented with Power from any other source or storage. 
• The Ministry vide order dated February 09, 2021, issued clarifications regarding Time Extension in Scheduled Commissioning Date of Renewable Energy (RE) Projects considering disruption due to lockdown due to COVID-19. It has been clarified that further extension beyond 5 months can be granted by implementing agencies in exceptional cases.
• The Ministry vide order dated February 25, 2021, has discontinued the benefit of Concessional Customs Duty in respect of items imported for initial setting up of solar power projects.