India on track to achieve 450 GW renewable energy target by 2030: power minister

NEW DELHI: With the spectre of extreme weather events hovering upon the world, India’s power and new and renewable energy minister Raj Kumar Singh said that India is on track to achieve its renewable energy target of 450 gigawatt (GW) by 2030 at a US India Business Council (USIBC) meeting.

Singh added that electricity distribution reforms and the promotion of open access to the electricity grid will enhance renewable energy consumption.

This comes at a time when India’s push for green energy has borne results, with the country crossing the 100 GW milestone of installed renewable energy capacity. India is running the world’s largest clean energy programme to achieve 175 GW of renewable capacity, including 100GW of solar power by 2022.

“The agenda of the meeting was “Advancing cleaner, more sustainable and affordable energy to mitigate climate change and power India’s economic growth,” India’s ministry of new and renewable energy said in a statement on Saturday.

While India has been resisting the pressure of declaring a net zero emission goal and calling out nations on their carbon neutral intent announcements, its green energy trajectory has been on an upswing.

In the run up to United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as COP-26 to be held in Glasgow later this year, its president Alok Sharma will be in India next week as reported by Mint earlier.

“He (Singh) highlighted India’s achievements in the field of renewable energy, energy access, energy efficiency, reduction in emission intensity and shared GOI’s plans to promote manufacturing and exports from India, including PLI scheme for manufacturing of solar cells, modules and batteries, and promotion of green hydrogen,” the statement added.

India on its part has been working on a raft of measures including clean electricity, ethanol blending with fossil fuels, green mobility, battery storage and green hydrogen to help reduce pollution and facilitate commitments made at COP-21 in Paris. India plans to reduce its carbon footprint by 33-35% from its 2005 levels by 2030 and meet 40% of its electricity needs from non-fossil fuel sources by then, as part of its commitments to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change adopted by 195 countries in Paris in 2015.

“The minister reiterated his commitment to further US and India's shared goals on climate change, clean energy and sustainability and the India-US Clean Energy Agenda 2030 Partnership,” the statement said.

Despite India’s per capita emission being one-third of the world average, the country has been building up its green portfolio. India is on track of meeting its Nationally Determined Contributions targets for electricity generation from non-fossil fuel sources and emission reductions.