Power Minister Goyal emphasises on promoting indigenous solar equipment manufacturing

As India is looking forward to increase the capacity of renewable energy in the power sector to 225 Giga Watts by 2022, the government's main thrust would be to promote indigenous manufacturing of high quality solar equipments, Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal said.

"Wind - we are manufacturing in India; hydro equipment is largely indigenous, and coal based thermal plans are mostly indigenous. The missing link in the entire valley chain is solar manufacturing and the government is very seriously looking at ways and means to promote Indian manufacture of high quality solar equipments," Goyal told ANI.

"So, effectively, we will already be 40 percent of our install capacity roughly by 2022, coming from its renewable sources. This will significantly up the ante on availability of low cost power for several years to come," he added.

In order to reduce carbon footprint in India, Goyal said the government was working on alternative modules to keep less dependency on coal in the upcoming years.

"One, we are looking at super critical thermal plants replacing the old age plants, which are inefficient so that the coal consumption falls, pollution level falls," he said.

"Second, we are looking at the gasification of coal in a big way. So underground coal gasification, coal to syngas also. We are looking at coal bed methane to be promoted in a big way. Thus, coal, which will remain a national asset for many years, can be used in a more significantly less polluting manner," he added.

Expressing apprehension at the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) giving energy access to everyone by 2030, Goyal said, "It's too long a period. The Prime Minister has committed to India that we will take power to every home and we will ensure power for all by 2022, when we celebrate 75 years of Independence. On a personal note, I would love to put by 2019."

Goyal further said India's leadership role in terms of pushing energy efficiency in renewable sector was being appreciated in the Vienna Summit for its initiatives.

"The fact that India and Indians have replaced incandescent bulbs with the LED bulbs in the last two years is testimony to our collective effort to improve our utilisation of electricity. 23 crore (bulbs) have been sold by EESL, the government company alone, rest by the private sector," he said.

Goyal added that the Indian expertise and innovative solution for energy efficiency was being sought by the International community.

"This is the first step. Swedish Prime Minister (Stefan Lofven) has welcomed the ESL to Austria and also give the benefit of our innovative methods of promoting energy efficiency to all people of Austria. I think time has come for a large country to lead the world," he said.