Government initiatives

Some initiatives by Government of India to boost India’s renewable energy sector are as follows:

• In the Union Budget 2022-23, the allocation for the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI), which is currently responsible for the development of the entire renewable energy sector, stood at Rs. 1,000 crores (US$ 132 million).
• In the Budget, the government allocated Rs. 19,500 crore (US$ 2.57 billion) for a PLI scheme to boost manufacturing of high-efficiency solar modules.
• In February 2022, Nepal and India agreed to form a Joint Hydro Development Committee to explore the possibility of viable hydropower projects.
• In November 2021, at the COP-26 Summit in Glasgow, Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi made a promise to increase India’s renewable energy generation capacity to 500 GW, and meet 50% of India’s energy needs through renewable means by the year 2030.
• In October 2021, the Ministry of Power announced a new set of rules aimed at reducing financial stress for stakeholders and safeguarding timely cost recovery in electricity generation.
• In August 2021, the Indian government proposed new rules for the purchase and consumption of green energy. The latest rules are a part of government measures to encourage large-scale energy consumers, including industries, to leverage renewable energy sources for regular operations.
• In July 2021, to encourage rooftop solar (RTS) throughout the country, notably in rural regions, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy plans to undertake Rooftop Solar Programme Phase II, which aims to install RTS capacity of 4,000 MW in the residential sector by 2022 with a provision of subsidy.
• In July 2021, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) gave the go ahead to NTPC Renewable Energy Ltd., a 100% subsidiary of NTPC, to build a 4,750 MW renewable energy park at the Rann of Kutch in Khavada, Gujarat. This will be India's largest solar park to be developed by the country's leading power producer.
• In June 2021, India launched the Mission Innovation CleanTech Exchange, a global initiative that will create a whole network of incubators across member countries to accelerate clean energy innovation
• In June 2021, Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Ltd. (IREDA) invited bids from solar module manufacturers for setting up solar manufacturing units under the central government’s Rs. 4,500 crore (US$ 616.76 million) Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme.
• In April 2021, the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) and CEEW’s Centre for Energy Finance (CEEW-CEF) jointly launched the India Renewables Dashboard that provides detailed operational information on renewable energy (RE) projects in India.
• In April 2021, the Ministry of Power (MoP) released the draft National Electricity Policy (NEP) 2021 and has invited suggestions from all stakeholders such as Central Public Sector Undertakings, Solar Energy Corporation of India, power transmission companies, financial institutions like Reserve Bank of India, Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, industrial, solar, and wind associations, and state governments.
• The Government of India has announced plans to implement a US$ 238 million National Mission on advanced ultra-supercritical technologies for cleaner coal utilisation.
• Indian Railways is taking increased efforts through sustained energy efficient measures and maximum use of clean fuel to cut down emission level by 33% by 2030.
• The government has spent US$ 4.63 billion on hydroelectric projects to provide electricity to villages in Jammu and Kashmir from 2018-21.