India targets 500 GW RE by 2030

New Delhi: India will easily achieve the target of 50 per cent share of energy from non-fossil fuels and also the 500-gigawatt (GW) renewable energy capacity before the deadline of 2030 set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said Power and New & Renewable Energy Minister RK Singh.

It assumes significance in view of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's pledge at the COP26 Climate Conference in Glasgow that India will achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2070. Modi also raised the nationally determined contribution (NDC) target of non-fossil energy capacity to 500 GW by 2030, from 450 gigawatts earlier. Talking to PTI, Singh said, "we are working hard towards the Prime Minister's target of 500 GW from renewable energy by 2030. We had said we will do 40 per cent (energy from non-fossil fuel) by 2030. We have reached 39 per cent. We will easily achieve the 50 per cent target by 2030. The prime minister has given the target till 2030, we will achieve before that."

He added that the Prime Minister has increased the renewable energy (RE) target by 50 GW to 500 GW to be achieved by 2030. "We will achieve that. It is not too much, a tall order. Where am I? I am already at 200 GW (of RE)." "I have established a RE capacity of 149 GW (including large hydro projects). I have 63 GW RE capacity under construction. So, I am already at 212 GW. So, getting to further let us say 300 GW by 2030 or in a decade, I don't think that is difficult," he said.

About the mix of various sources in renewable energy target, India will have around 450 GW from solar and wind, while 70-100 GW will be from hydropower plants. The minister said, "we have RPO (renewable purchase obligation) till 2022. Now, we will come out with RPO till 2030 keeping in view the 500 GW RE target. We are thinking that 70 GW to 100 GW will be from hydro and 450 GW will be solar and wind (under new RPO till 2030)."