Adding hydro can take India's clean power to 225 GW by 2022

Government is considering reclassifying large hydro power plants as renewable projects, Power Minster Piyush Goyal said today, adding that it can help India achieve clean power capacity of 225 GW by 2022.
Removing the distinction between small project (up to 25 MW) and large hydro project can help India projecting that its installed renewable energy capacity would be 225 GW by 2022.
Of the 305 GW installed power generation capacity, 43 GW comes from large hydro projects (above 25 MW) and 44.23 GW from other renewable power generation capacities.
India has set an ambitious target of adding 175 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2022 which includes 100 GW of solar, 60 GW from wind, 10 GW from bio-power and 5 GW from small hydro-power (up to 25 MW capacity each).

"Why should I have two distinctions. There are 3-4 countries which have this distinction," Goyal said addressing a conference on sustainability here.
Goyal was of the view that if these large hydro projects are included in the renewable segment then the total installed capacity of clean and green power would be 225 GW by 2022 after achieving the target of 175 GW set by government.

Asked about steps being taken by government on the issue, Goyal replied, "My office has prepared a report on that. Now we shall be opening it up for public consultation. Then we take view that whether all hydro (power plants) should be categorised as renewable energy."

As per experts, besides better projection of India's renewable energy capacities, it would help the hydro power sector as it would be able to access incentives being provided to renewable energy projects by the government.
Goyal further said, "A lot of stalled hydro power projects is my first focus area. We are working on stalled projects because nobody will invest in a sector where the stalled projects are lying unattended."
Earlier in March, Planning Minister Rao Inderjit Singh had told the Lok Sabha that the planned hydro power generation capacity addition of 4,371 mw out of total target of 10,897 mw in the 12th Plan will not be completed.

"Based on the current status of works, out of 12th Plan hydro capacity addition target of 10,897 mw, capacity aggregating 4,371 mw is slipping, and 930 mw capacity is critical to commissioning during the 12th Plan," he had said.
Goyal also spoke about fall in government procurement price of LED bulbs to Rs 38 per unit of 9W from Rs 310 about 17 months ago.
He also called for cooperation from the international community for allowing access to clean technologies so that developing countries can develop it further as per their requirement.
He was of the view that climate change is collective responsibility and developed world is more responsible for carbon emissions than developing countries.

He also said that India will quadruple its expenditure on R&D of clean technologies.