Jaipur: Union Minister of New and Renewable Energy, Pralhad Joshi, expressed confidence in India’s renewable energy (RE) sector, stating that the nation is poised to meet and surpass its ambitious target of 500 GW capacity by 2030. Addressing the Regional Review Meeting on Renewable Energy in Jaipur, he highlighted the critical role of renewable energy in meeting India’s projected doubling of power demand by 2032.
Strengthening the Renewable Energy Framework
The meeting reviewed progress in the RE sector across the northern states, including Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Chandigarh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh. Joshi emphasized the central government’s commitment to the Panchamrit initiative, introduced at COP26, and highlighted India’s world-leading green hydrogen program alongside recent investments totaling ₹32 lakh crore in the RE sector.
The Minister also announced an additional 5,000 MW allocation to Rajasthan under the PM-KUSUM scheme, reaffirming the state’s pivotal role in India’s renewable energy landscape. He lauded Rajasthan for inaugurating 1,200 MW of solar power projects in Jaisalmer, emphasizing the need for state and central collaboration to drive collective progress.
Incentives for Rooftop Solar Promotion
During the meeting, Joshi disbursed incentives to Discoms for promoting rooftop solar initiatives across northern states. Among the recipients were:
- Jodhpur and Ajmer Discoms (Rajasthan): ₹39.43 crore and ₹17.59 crore
- Dakshin Haryana and Uttar Haryana Discoms: ₹42.68 crore and ₹22.43 crore
- Punjab Discom (PSPCL): ₹11.39 crore
- Uttarakhand: ₹9.48 crore
- Madhyanchal Discom (Uttar Pradesh): ₹9.51 crore
These incentives cover financial years ranging from FY 2020 to FY 2024, aimed at accelerating rooftop solar adoption.
Regional Highlights and Initiatives
Jammu & Kashmir: Satish Mishra, Minister for Science & Technology, highlighted the installation of over 35 MW of solar power in the domestic sector and deployment of 3,000 solar pumps, emphasizing the state’s potential in solar, small hydro, and wind energy.
Himachal Pradesh: Rajesh Dharmani, Minister for Town and Country Planning, noted the state’s efforts to achieve 100% non-fossil fuel energy by 2026, with over 75% of its energy portfolio already sourced from green energy.
Rajasthan: Heeralal Nagar, Minister of Energy, discussed the state’s leadership in renewable energy, including a 2,000 MW Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) and significant progress under the PM-KUSUM scheme. The state is targeting 125 GW of renewable energy by 2030.
Haryana: Anil Vij, Minister for Energy, Transport & Labour, outlined the state’s growing investments in renewable energy infrastructure and its commitment to green energy goals.
The workshop underscored India’s initiatives in fostering partnerships with global stakeholders, scaling solutions like green hydrogen, battery storage, and distributed energy technologies.
Secretary, MNRE, Nidhi Khare, noted that India’s renewable energy capacity has already surpassed 200 GW, led by solar power (97 GW), wind power (48 GW), and hydropower (52 GW). Additional Secretary Sudeep Jain emphasized the need for innovative solutions and workshops to overcome challenges and meet the country’s goal of 500 GW by 2030 and 1,800 GW by 2047.
Union Minister Joshi highlighted ongoing state-level reviews in various regions, with upcoming meetings in Visakhapatnam, Varanasi, and Guwahati, to further strengthen the sector’s progress.
The Jaipur meeting marked a significant step in advancing India’s renewable energy ambitions, fostering collaboration, and accelerating the transition to a sustainable, energy-secure future.