India's Initiatives on Green Energy

Programs, Schemes, and Projects

India has emerged as a global leader in the transition to renewable energy, with
ambitious targets and a wide range of innovative initiatives. This presentation
will delve into the key programs, schemes, and projects that are driving India's
green energy revolution.

The Importance of Green Energy in India

Energy Security

With a rapidly growing population and economy, India's demand for energy is
soaring. Investing in renewable energy sources helps reduce the country's reliance
on imported fossil fuels, enhancing energy security.

Environmental Impact

Green energy technologies, such as solar and wind power, have a significantly lower
environmental impact compared to traditional fossil fuel-based energy sources. This
aligns with India's commitment to sustainable development and climate action.

Economic Opportunities

The renewable energy sector in India has become a major driver of economic growth,
creating millions of jobs and attracting substantial investments. It also helps
reduce energy costs and fosters the development of new technologies.

Climate Change Mitigation

India's renewable energy initiatives are crucial in the global fight against
climate change, as the country works to reduce its carbon emissions and contribute
to the Paris Agreement goals.

India's Green Energy Goals

National Targets

India has set ambitious targets to increase its renewable energy capacity to 450 GW
by 2030, with a focus on solar and wind power. This aligns with the country's
commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris
Agreement on climate change.

International Commitments

As a signatory to the Paris Agreement, India has pledged to reduce the emissions
intensity of its GDP by 33-35% below 2005 levels by 2030. The country's renewable
energy initiatives are crucial in achieving these commitments and demonstrating
global leadership in the fight against climate change.

Sustainable Development Goals

India's green energy programs directly support the achievement of several

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean
Energy), SDG 13 (Climate Action), and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).

Renewable Energy in India

Definition

Renewable energy refers to energy generated from sources that are naturally
replenished, such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, waves, and geothermal heat. These
sources are considered clean and sustainable, as they do not deplete or contribute
to greenhouse gas emissions.

Types of Renewable Energy

The main types of renewable energy being harnessed in India include solar, wind,
biomass, hydropower, and geothermal. Each of these sources has unique
characteristics and benefits, contributing to the country's diverse and resilient
energy portfolio.

Current Status

As of 2022, India's installed renewable energy capacity has reached over 110 GW,
with solar and wind power leading the way. The country is well on its way to
achieving its ambitious renewable energy targets, demonstrating its commitment to a
sustainable energy future.

Future Potential

India's vast renewable energy potential, combined with ongoing technological

advancements and supportive policies, suggests that the country's renewable energy
sector will continue to grow and play a vital role in the global transition to
clean energy.

Government Policies and Initiatives

National Solar Mission

Launched in 2010, the National Solar Mission aims to establish India as a global
leader in solar energy. It has set ambitious targets for solar power capacity and
has implemented a range of incentives and policies to promote solar energy
adoption.

National Wind Energy Mission

Established in 2016, the National Wind Energy Mission focuses on accelerating the
development of wind power in India, with targets for increasing wind energy
capacity and improving grid integration and infrastructure.

Other Policies
India has also introduced a variety of other policies and schemes to support the
growth of renewable energy, such as the Renewable Energy Certificate (REC)
mechanism, the Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana (UDAY) scheme, and the PM-KUSUM scheme
for solar-powered irrigation.

Key Organizations

Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE)

The MNRE is the nodal ministry responsible for the development and promotion of
renewable energy in India. It formulates policies, schemes, and programs to support
the growth of the renewable energy sector.

Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA)

IREDA is a public sector enterprise that provides financial assistance and

innovative products to support the development of renewable energy projects in
India. It plays a crucial role in channeling investments into the sector.

Other Key Bodies

Various other government agencies, research institutions, and industry

associations, such as the National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE) and the Indian
Wind Turbine Manufacturers Association (IWTMA), also contribute to the growth and
development of India's renewable energy ecosystem.

National Solar Mission

Objectives

The National Solar Mission aims to establish India as a global leader in solar
energy by creating policy conditions to rapidly scale up solar capacity, promote
domestic manufacturing, and achieve grid parity for solar power.

Key Achievements
Since its launch in 2010, the National Solar Mission has been instrumental in
increasing India's solar power capacity from less than 1 GW to over 60 GW as of
2022. This rapid growth has been driven by a range of incentives, policies, and
competitive auctions.

Future Targets

The mission aims to further increase solar power capacity to 100 GW by 2022 and 300
GW by 2030, making solar energy a major contributor to India's overall renewable
energy goals.

Solar Park Scheme

Description

The Solar Park Scheme aims to facilitate the development of large-scale solar power
projects by providing the necessary infrastructure and land resources. The scheme
supports the creation of solar parks with a minimum capacity of 500 MW, with
provision for further expansion.

Key Projects

Some of the notable solar park projects in India include the Bhadla Solar Park in
Rajasthan (2,245 MW), the Pavagada Solar Park in Karnataka (2,050 MW), and the
Kurnool Ultra Mega Solar Park in Andhra Pradesh (1,000 MW).

Benefits

The Solar Park Scheme has helped to attract significant investments, reduce project
development costs, and accelerate the deployment of large-scale solar power in
India, contributing to the country's renewable energy targets.

Rooftop Solar Program

Objectives
The Rooftop Solar Program aims to promote the installation of rooftop solar
photovoltaic systems on residential, commercial, and institutional buildings across
India. This helps to increase the country's distributed solar power generation and
reduce the burden on the grid.

Incentives and Subsidies

The program offers various financial incentives and subsidies to encourage the
adoption of rooftop solar systems, including capital subsidies, net metering
policies, and low-interest loans. These measures help to make rooftop solar more
accessible and affordable for households and businesses.

Benefits

The Rooftop Solar Program not only contributes to India's renewable energy goals
but also helps to reduce electricity bills for consumers, create local jobs, and
promote sustainable energy consumption at the household and community levels.

Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (KUSUM)

Overview

The Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (KUSUM) scheme is a government
initiative to provide solar-powered irrigation pumps and grid-connected solar power
plants to farmers, helping them to achieve energy security and increase their
incomes.

Benefits to Farmers

The KUSUM scheme offers financial assistance and subsidies to farmers for the
installation of solar pumps and grid-connected solar power plants on their land.
This helps to reduce the farmers' dependence on diesel-powered pumps, lowers their
energy costs, and generates additional income from the sale of surplus solar power.

Objectives
The primary objectives of the KUSUM scheme are to increase farmers' incomes,
promote the use of solar energy in the agricultural sector, and support India's
overall renewable energy goals by harnessing the vast potential of solar power in
rural areas.

Impact

The KUSUM scheme has the potential to significantly improve the livelihoods of
Indian farmers, while also contributing to the country's clean energy transition
and environmental sustainability.

National Wind Energy Mission

The National Wind Energy Mission is a comprehensive initiative aimed at harnessing

India's vast wind energy potential. With ambitious objectives and key achievements,
this program drives the country's transition towards sustainable and renewable
power generation.

Offshore Wind Energy Policy

Overview

India's Offshore Wind Energy Policy aims to harness the vast untapped potential of
wind energy along its extensive coastline. This policy provides a regulatory
framework to facilitate the development of offshore wind projects, streamlining the
process from site identification to power evacuation.

Potential Sites

The policy identifies key regions off the coasts of Gujarat and Tamil Nadu as prime
locations for offshore wind energy development. These areas boast consistently high
wind speeds, making them ideal for large-scale offshore wind farms that can
contribute significantly to India's renewable energy goals.

Wind-Solar Hybrid Policy

Objectives

The Wind-Solar Hybrid Policy aims to optimize land usage and enhance the generation
of renewable energy by co-locating wind and solar power projects. This integrated
approach leverages the complementary nature of wind and solar resources, enabling
more efficient and reliable power generation from a single location.

Key Projects

Under this policy, several large-scale wind-solar hybrid projects have been
initiated across India. For example, the 840 MW wind-solar hybrid project in
Rajasthan combines powerful wind turbines with expansive solar photovoltaic arrays,
demonstrating the potential of this innovative approach to renewable energy
development.

Synergistic Benefits

By combining wind and solar power, the hybrid projects can take advantage of the
different peak generation times of each resource, providing a more consistent and
stable supply of renewable electricity. This helps to address the intermittency
challenges associated with relying on a single renewable energy source.

Biomass Energy Initiatives

India has launched a comprehensive National Biomass Power Program to harness the
country's abundant biomass resources for renewable energy generation. This program
aims to drive sustainable development and carbon reduction through innovative
biomass energy projects across the nation.

Waste to Energy Program

Overview

India's Waste to Energy Program is a strategic initiative aimed at harnessing the

immense potential of municipal solid waste to generate renewable electricity. By
utilizing advanced technologies to convert waste into usable energy, this program
helps address the country's growing waste management challenges while contributing
to sustainable power generation.

Achievements

The Waste to Energy Program has made significant strides, with several large-scale
waste-to-energy plants now operational across the country. These facilities use
thermal, biochemical, and other innovative processes to convert urban waste into
clean electricity, thereby diverting waste from landfills and reducing greenhouse
gas emissions.

Hydro Energy Initiatives

India is harnessing its vast hydropower potential through a range of strategic

initiatives, including a dedicated Small Hydro Power Program. These efforts aim to
leverage the country's abundant water resources to generate clean, renewable
electricity and support sustainable development.

Small Hydro Power Program

The Small Hydro Power Program focuses on developing small-scale hydroelectric

projects, typically up to 25 MW in capacity. These compact, decentralized
hydropower plants are well-suited for deployment in remote, hilly regions,
providing reliable and accessible electricity to underserved communities.

Key Projects

Under this program, numerous small hydropower projects have been commissioned
across India, tapping into the country's vast network of rivers and streams. For
example, the 20 MW Chamba Small Hydro Project in Himachal Pradesh harnesses the
power of the Ravi River, generating clean energy for local communities while
preserving the natural environment.

Large Hydro Policy

Objectives

India's Large Hydro Policy aims to harness the country's immense hydropower
potential through the development of large-scale hydroelectric projects. These
ambitious initiatives focus on constructing major dams and reservoirs that can
generate significant amounts of clean, renewable electricity to power the nation's
growing energy needs.

Major Projects

Under the Large Hydro Policy, India has commissioned several colossal hydropower
projects that leverage the nation's abundant water resources. Notable examples
include the Tehri Hydro Power Complex in Uttarakhand, the Nathpa Jhakri Hydropower
Station in Himachal Pradesh, and the Indira Sagar Project in Madhya Pradesh, each
with a generating capacity of over 1,000 megawatts.

Emerging Technologies

India is at the forefront of embracing cutting-edge renewable energy technologies

to drive its sustainable development goals. Among the emerging solutions being
actively explored and implemented are innovative geothermal energy projects that
harness the Earth's natural heat to generate clean, reliable power.

Geothermal Energy

India's vast and diverse geological landscape holds immense potential for
geothermal energy development. Regions like the Himalayan belt, the Narmada-Tapti
rift zone, and the Andaman-Nicobar Islands are identified as high-potential areas
for harnessing this renewable resource.

Pilot Projects

To capitalize on this potential, the Indian government has launched several pilot
geothermal energy projects across the country. These include the Puga Valley
Geothermal Project in Ladakh, the Tattapani Geothermal Project in Chhattisgarh, and
the Tso Kar Basin Geothermal Project in Ladakh, each exploring innovative
technologies and methods to unlock the power of the Earth's heat.

Tidal Energy

Overview

Tidal energy is a promising renewable resource that harnesses the power of the
ocean's tides to generate clean electricity. This technology utilizes specialized
turbines placed in areas with strong tidal currents, allowing the ebb and flow of
the tides to spin the turbines and produce electricity.

Feasibility Studies

India is actively conducting comprehensive feasibility studies to identify the most

promising locations for tidal energy projects. Coastal regions with consistently
high tidal ranges, such as the Gulf of Khambhat and the Sundarbans Delta, are being
evaluated for their potential to host large-scale tidal power plants that can
contribute significantly to the country's renewable energy mix.

Green Hydrogen

National Hydrogen Energy Mission

India has launched the National Hydrogen Energy Mission, a comprehensive initiative
to accelerate the development and adoption of green hydrogen technologies. This
program aims to position India as a global hub for green hydrogen production and
establish the country as a leader in the emerging hydrogen economy.

Pilot Projects

Under this mission, the government is supporting the deployment of pilot projects
to demonstrate the viability and scalability of green hydrogen production. These
projects leverage renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind, to power the
electrolysis process that splits water molecules and generates clean, emission-free
hydrogen fuel.

Future Prospects

The National Hydrogen Energy Mission has set ambitious goals to significantly
increase India's green hydrogen production capacity by the end of the decade. This
will help decarbonize hard-to-abate sectors, such as heavy industries and long-haul
transportation, while also positioning India as a global exporter of clean hydrogen
fuel.