India Targets 20,000mw Renewable Energy Capacity By 2012

India has set itself a target of raising its power generation capacity from renewable sources to 20,000 mega watts (mw) by the end of the 11th plan (2012 AD). The countrys current capacity is 1,260 mw.

The capacity hike will raise the countrys ratio of power derived from renewable energy sources to eight per cent from the current 1.5 per cent.

Non-conventional energy secretary Ashok Parthasarathi yesterday told Business Standard that Indias efforts to lessen its dependence on conventional sources may fall far short of European targets. The EEC plans to source 30 per cent of Europes electric power requirement from renewable sources by 2030.

The countrys base of renewable energy sources was negligible before the eighth plan (1992-!997). The plan added 1,260 mw, which amounts to just 1.5 per cent of Indias total generating capacity of 85,000 mw as on March 31, 1997. This addition was seven per cent of the total eighth plan addition of 18,000 mw of new generating capacity.

The non-conventional energy ministry is projecting the total generating capacity in 2011-12 at 2.40 lakh mw, of which renewable sources will contribute 20,000 mw. The ministry has not yet drawn up any targets beyond the end of the 11th plan.

However, the good news is that India will begin parallel programmes to set up stand-alone sources of power generation from renewable sources which will not be connected to the grid.

The ministry is targeting 6,000 mw of additional power generating capacity from renewable sources in remote areas. The 1991 census shows that 3 lakh of the countrys 5.6 lakh villages have a population of below 300 each. It is uneconomic to transmit electric power through a grid to such villages.

The only answer is to exploit renewable energy sources like gasifiers, photo-voltaic cells, rural fuel cell plants and biomass power to light them up.

Latest estimates put Indias wind power potential at 40,000 mw at a cost of Rs 3.5 crore/mw, 10,000 mw of small hydroelectric power potential from units under 15 mw at a cost of Rs 4-5 crore/mw, 3,500 mw of co-generation plants from bagasse alone and another 1,500 mw from other co-generation plants at a cost of Rs 2.5 crore alone. There is also tremendous potential for gasifiers, which cost as little as Rs 1.5 crore/mw.

Parthasarathi, who is also the chairman of the commission for additional energy sources, was upbeat about the worlds largest integrated solar combined cycle power project of 140 mw. The project, set to come up in Rajasthan, will have a solar thermal collecting unit of 40 mw backed by steam and gas turbines of 100 mw. The estimated Rs 750 crore required to finance the project has already been tied up.