Low Carbon News in India in December 2014
Promotion of Solar Energy
The Government is taking the following major steps to promote solar energy industry:
i. Fiscal and financial incentives in the form of accelerated depreciation, concessional/nil customs and excise duties, preferential tariffs and generation based incentives are being provided to improve viability of solar power generation units.
ii. An enabling policy and regulatory environment is being created through measures like solar specific RPOs under National Tariff Policy {0.25% in Phase 1 (2013) to increase to 3% by 2022}, State Specific Solar Policies and RPO targets, and REC mechanism.
iii. Capital subsidy is being provided for off-grid/decentralized solar power generation systems.
iv. Solar Parks are being planned in various parts of the country to achieve cost reductions of solar power generation units through utilization of common infrastructure.
v. A scheme for promotion of grid-connected roof-top PV systems with a provision for 30% subsidy has also been formulated.
The R&D in solar is also being encouraged. Ministry provides financial support to industry for R&D project
http://pib.nic.in/newsite/pmreleases.aspx?mincode=28
Grid Connected Rooftop and Small Solar Power Plants Programme
Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is implementing ‘Grid Connected Rooftop and Small Solar Power Plants Programme’ for installation of grid connected roof top solar systems from 1 kWp to 500 kWp capacity in residential, commercial, institutional and industrial buildings. The programme has a provision of Central Financial Assistance of Rs. 24 per watt capacity of the system to encourage consumer for installation of solar rooftop systems. This was stated by Sh. Piyush Goyal, Minister of state (I/C) for Power, Coal & New and Renewable Energy in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha today.
The Minister further stated that so far, 12 States have formulated solar energy policy to encourage installation of solar rooftop systems by the consumers. Government of India is encouraging manufacturing of solar panels in India by giving duty concessions for inputs and reserving some quantities for made in India solar cells and module in tenders in Government of India Schemes, the Minister added.
Promotion of Alternative Fuels and Hybrid Engines
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy under its broad based Research, Development and Demonstration Programme has been supporting projects at academic institutions, research and development organisations and industry for development of engines for use of hydrogen alone, its blend with compressed natural gas and in dual fuel mode with diesel or straight vegetable oil for automotive and stationary power generation applications. Standards for blending of bio-ethanol and bio-diesel into petrol and diesel have already been formulated by Bureau of Indian Standards. This was stated by Shri. Piyush Goyal, Minister of State (I/C) for Power, Coal & New and Renewable Energy in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today.
The Minister further said that the usage of biofuels is affected mainly by the lack of their availability. For enhancing the production of biofuels, research and development is being supported for production of bio-ethanol from ligno-cellulosic biomass and for improving the yields of Tree Borne Oilseeds for production of bio-diesel, the Minister added
http://pib.nic.in/newsite/pmreleases.aspx?mincode=28
Establishment of Solar Cities
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) is implementing a programme on ‘Development of Solar Cities’. This was stated by Shri. Piyush Goyal, Minister of State (I/C) for Power, Coal & New and Renewable Energy in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today. 60 existing cities are planned to be developed as solar cities. 55 solar cities have already been taken up so far.
http://pib.nic.in/newsite/pmreleases.aspx?mincode=28
Encouragement to Non-Conventional Energy Sector
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has been making serious efforts in promoting renewable in various sectors including corporate houses. Various fiscal and financial incentives such as Accelerated Depreciation (AD), capital and/or interest subsidy, tax holiday for 10 years, Generation Based Incentive (GBI), etc. This was stated by Sh. Piyush Goyal, Minister of state (I/C) for Power, Coal & New and Renewable Energy in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha today.
The Minister further stated that collaborative research and development projects in various areas of renewable energy have been taken up involving institutions in USA, Germany, Spain and Denmark. Indian renewable energy industries are exporting solar photovoltaic modules, wind turbines, hydro turbines, biomass boilers and turbines, biomass gasifiers, etc. to several countries worldwide
http://pib.nic.in/newsite/pmreleases.aspx?mincode=28
National Clean Energy Fund
The National Clean Energy Fund is created for funding research and innovative projects in clean energy technologies. Any project/scheme relating to innovative methods which adopt clean energy technology and research & development shall be eligible for funding under the NCEF. This was stated by Shri. Piyush Goyal, Minister of State (I/C) for Power, Coal & New and Renewable Energy in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today.
http://pib.nic.in/newsite/pmreleases.aspx?mincode=28
Renewable Energy Policy
The Government has formulated an Integrated Energy Policy (IEP) covering all sources of energy including renewable energy sources. The IEP document gives a roadmap to develop energy supply options and increased exploitation of renewable energy sources. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has made a Plan for a capacity addition of about 30,000 MW power during the 12th Plan period (2012-17) from various renewable energy sources in the country. This was stated by Sh. Piyush Goyal, Minister of state (IC) for Power, Coal & New and Renewable Energy in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today.
The Minister further stated that the Government is taking the following major steps to promote solar energy in the country:
i. National Solar Mission is being implemented to give a boost to utilization of solar energy for power generation as well as direct thermal energy applications in the country, with a long-term goal of adding 20,000 MW of grid-connected solar power by 2022, to be achieved in 3 phases (1st phase up to 2012-13, 2nd phase from 2013 to 2017 and the 3rd phase from 2017 to 2022).
ii. An enabling policy and regulatory environment is being created through measures like Solar specific RPOs under National Tariff Policy {0.25% in Phase 1 (2013) to increase to 3% by 2022}, State specific Solar Policies and RPO targets, and REC mechanism. Efforts are being made to ensure compliance by DISCOMs and obligated entities.
iii. Fiscal and financial incentives in the form of accelerated depreciation, concessional/ nil customs and excise duties, preferential tariffs and generation based incentives are being provided to improve the viability of the solar power generation units.
iv. Capital subsidy is being provided for off-grid/ decentralized solar power generation systems.
v. A scheme for setting up Grid-connected Solar PV Power projects of 750 MW aggregate capacity with Viability Gap Funding from NCEF is being implemented.
vi. A scheme for promotion of grid-connected roof-top PV systems with a provision for 30% subsidy has also been formulated.
vii. Solar Parks are being planned in various parts of the country to achieve cost reductions of solar power generation units through utilization of common infrastructure.
http://pib.nic.in/newsite/pmreleases.aspx?mincode=28