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PM Modi lauds India’s solar power performance; equipment manufacturing to get a boost

PM Modi lauds India’s solar power performance; equipment manufacturing to get a boost

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi today lauded India’s performance on renewable energy front announcing the country’s solar energy generation capacity rose at a record pace of 81 per cent last financial year. Modi assured the country’s solar equipment manufacturing will be boosted in the coming years and called for greater emphasis on ethanol blending programme.

“You would be happy to know that capacity addition in solar energy in FY17 stands at the highest-ever, at 81 percent. Called for greater emphasis on ethanol blending and expediting the setting up of 2nd generation bio ethanol refineries,” Modi said in a series of tweets following a review meeting of key infrastructure sectors including petroleum and natural gas, power, renewables and housing.

“Our focus is on boosting solar equipment manufacturing. The energy sector will gain and employment opportunities will increase. We also decided that in future review meetings, apart from sectoral progress we will also review district wise progress in key areas. Progress in sectors including renewable energy, rural housing, LED bulbs is gladdening. Over 2 crore people benefitted from Ujjwala Yojna,” the PM said.

India’s total solar power capacity currently stands at 12,288 Megawatt (Mw) as against 6,762 MW at the end of March 2016. The ministry of new and renewable energy in April announced that the country’s solar capacity expanded by a record 5,526 MW in 2016-2017. In comparison, India added 3,010 MW capacity in 2015-2016.

While the renewable story of India seems to be gathering momentum the country’s Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) programme is growing at a slow pace. The government launched Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) in January 2003 for sale of 5 per cent ethanol-blended petrol. According to the oil ministry, this programme is being carried out in 21 States and 4 UTs with immediate target to achieve 10 per cent ethanol blending in Petrol.

In-order to support the domestic industry, the government in 2013 decided to source ethanol from domestic sources only. This was followed by a series of steps in 2014 including increasing the ethanol procurement price, opening up an alternate route for ethanol production, easing procurement process and setting up a steering committee and working group on bio-fuels.

Despite various measures undertaken by the government to increase ethanol blending to 10 percent in petrol, the target is yet to be met. Oil firms are currently establishing 12 second-generation Ethanol plants across 11 states. The PSUs have signed six pacts for setting up such plants at Dahej, Bina, Panipat, Bhatinda and Bargarh. HPCL set up the country’s first bio-fuel refinery in Bhatinda in December last year.

Source:EETIE
Anand Gupta Editor - EQ Int'l Media Network

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