UP needs to come out with renewable energy policy: Assocham

Apex industry body Assocham on Monday suggested that the Uttar Pradesh government come out with a comprehensive renewable energy policy to mitigate power shortage in the state.

This will help to promote integrated development of all feasible resources in the state for both electric and non-electric applications, said a paper titled 'Roadmap for tapping renewable energy potential in Uttar Pradesh' released on Monday.

D.S. Rawat, secretary general of Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham), at a media interaction here said: "A clear roadmap with targets for development of renewable energy technologies based on overall resource potential is imperative to perk up renewable energy sector in Uttar Pradesh."

"UP is slated to deploy 10,697 megawatt (MW) of solar power, 3,500 MW of biomass cogeneration and 25 MW of small hydropower project totalling 14,194 MW of renewable capacity by 2022. As such, there is a grave need to mobilise huge investments for the industry to realise its true potential," Rawat said.

Assocham has suggested that renewable energy policy of the state must focus on bottleneck areas like mandatory net metering, feed-in tariff for rooftop solar photovoltaic, grid integration and evacuation, restructured and enforceable renewable purchase obligation (RPO) thereby ensuring compliance and developing a solution for better forecasting of renewable energy generation in the state.

The apex industry body has also recommended provision of a support mechanism for compliance and timely implementation of the policy.

"There should be a 'one stop shop' for financial support, investor grievance redressal and time-bound clearance processes," Assocham said, adding that renewable energy policy of the state should address the land acquisition issue.