AP thrust on clean energy, aims to achieve 160 GW RE by 2029

Amaravati: With timelines drawn to produce 160 gigawatt of renewable energy 2029 as part of Integrated Clean Energy (ICE) Policy, Andhra Pradesh Government is on a mission to diversify its energy mix and give special incentives to clean technologies like pumped storage, solar and wind power.

Google and Reliance Industries have also announced investing in two gigawatt solar power for their upcoming data centres in Visakhapatnam with a combined investment of $26 billion.

At the recently held Collectors' Conclave, a call was given to position Andhra Pradesh as the leader in generation of renewable energy. The State is also encouraging more switch over to electric buses by APSRTC in Tirupati, Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada and other major urban centres. India's target is to achieve 500 GW from non-fossil fuel by 2030. Of 613 MoUs inked at 30th edition of CII Partnership Summit envisaging an investment of Rs13.25 lakh crore, the focus was on RE, green hydrogen, AI data centers and electronics with heavy investments by Reliance, Brookfield and ReNew Power.

At a review meeting at Amaravati, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu directed the officials to lay emphasis more on renewable energy projects, reduce power purchase costs and bring down unit charge below Rs4. officials informed him that as part of reforms, they are expecting to bring it down by Rs1.32 so as to make it Rs4.10 by 2028-29.

The Chief Minister is keen on energy efficiency and cost reduction, Minister for Energy Gottipati Ravi Kumar, said. Later he held a meeting on the implementation of renewable energy projects undertaken by industrial investors across the State. The meeting was held at the Secretariat with participation from Brookfield-Axis representatives and senior officials from NREDCAP. During the review, the Minister assessed the progress of renewable energy projects currently under various stages of construction statewide. He emphasised the need to expedite execution, directing investors to ensure timely completion and move swiftly towards commissioning without delays. He also urged stakeholders to immediately bring any ground-level challenges to the government’s attention for prompt resolution.

Reaffirming the government’s strong commitment, the Minister assured full support to investors, including facilitation of land availability, infrastructure, and necessary clearances. He instructed officials to proactively eliminate bottlenecks and ensure a seamless implementation environment. Aligned with Chief Minister Naidu’s vision, the state is advancing an Integrated Clean Energy Policy aimed at attracting large-scale investments while simultaneously generating significant employment opportunities for youth.

The Minister highlighted that the solar, wind, and pumped storage projects being developed in the Rayalaseema region are poised to set national benchmarks. He expressed confidence that upon completion, Andhra Pradesh will emerge as a leader in renewable energy generation in India. He also reiterated the Chief Minister’s vision of transforming the state into the country’s “Battery Storage Capital.”

Stressing the employment potential of the sector, the Minister noted that the expansion of renewable energy projects will create substantial job opportunities for local youth.