AP aims to become India’s leading RE State in 2-yrs: NREDCAP MD

• AP aims to increase its renewable energy share to 40% in next 2 years, overtaking K’taka as the leading state
• The state has signed an MoU with SECI to procure 7,000 MW of solar power, with the first tranche expected in Jan 2024

Visakhapatnam: After unveiling a comprehensive renewable energy policy, Andhra Pradesh has set an ambitious target to surpass Karnataka and become the number one State in India in the generation and utilisation of renewable energy.

Vice-Chairman and Managing Director of Non-Conventional Energy Development Corporation of AP (NREDCAP) S Ramana Reddy said on Wednesday that AP has already crossed 28 per cent share of renewable energy in the total energy utilisation occupying second position against the Government of India’s target of 23 per cent. “In the next two years, we are hopeful of increasing our share to 40 per cent so as to become the top State taking over Karnataka,” he said.

He told Bizz Buzz on the sidelines of a CII organised energy conference (ENERCON-2023) with the theme ‘making Indian industry energy efficient and world-class,’ he said the government has entered into an MoU with Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) to get 7000 MW of solar power, the first tranche of which will be available from January, 2024. From then onwards total agreed upon power will be supplied to AP within one and half years. At present, the State is getting 9,000 MW from both solar and wind energy.

As storage is of paramount importance to meet peak hour demand, AP has come out in a big way to encourage investments in pumped storage power (PSP) projects. He said they have prepared detailed project reports for 21 projects. Tendering is in process for a PSP project in Sileru in undivided Visakhapatnam district to store 1350 MW. Greenko Group has already launched a 5230 MW integrated renewable energy PSP project in Kurnool. AP unveiled renewable export policy-2020 with a target to set up 120 GW capacity renewable energy projects by 2025. AP has already lowered net metering cap for rooftop solar projects from 1 MW to 500 kW.

Green hydrogen hub

In his keynote address at the CII meeting, Reddy said AP government is keen to develop Visakhapatnam as a green hydrogen and green ammonia hub as it is home to major industries like NTPC Simhadri Super Thermal Power Plant, Visakhapatnam Steel Plant and HPCL Visakh Refinery. He said major investments will be made into this sector.

He said the State government is keen to play a pioneering role in the government of India’s Green Hydrogen Mission to drastically cut down the usage of the emission of CO2 so as to contain global warming. The government wants a healthy mix of solar and wind energy and connect them to the grid. “We are taking several initiatives to contribute to the ‘ One Sun, One World and One Grid’ mission launched by the India,” he stated.