As per information received from Central Electricity Authority, the percentage share of renewable energy in the total power generation has consistently increased from 4.97% in 2012-13 to about 5.7%, as on February, 2016. This was stated by Shri Piyush Goyal, Minister of State (IC) for Power, Coal & New and Renewable Energy in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha today.
The Minister further stated that the Government has recently approved amendments in Tariff Policy in January, 2016 which envisages long term trajectory of RPO prescribing purchase of solar energy to promote the renewable energy, from the date of notification of the policy, which shall be such that it reaches up to 8% of the total electricity consumption or as notified excluding Hydro power by March 2022.
The Minister also stated the Government is implementing ‘Green Energy Corridor Project’ for strengthening intra-state and inter-state transmission system along with other control infrastructure for the likely renewable power capacity addition to facilitate integration of large scale renewable energy generation, in the renewable rich states of Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Jammu & Kashmir and Madhya Pradesh. The funding pattern for creating intra-state transmission infrastructure is approved as share of KfW loan (40% of the cost) and grants from National Clean Energy Fund (40% of the cost) and the remaining 20% as state contribution. The Inter- State Transmission Projects are proposed to be funded with 70% KfW loan and 30% equity by Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL). The setting up of Renewable Energy Management Systems (REMCs) has to be funded from budgetary sources, the Minister added.