CSE underlines risks to RE sector with ‘State of the Renewable Energy Sector in India’ report

Centre for Science and Environment has announced that launched of its citizen report,” State of Renewable Energy in India 2019″ at New Delhi. The report highlights that India would fall short of the government’s target of achieving 175 GW of solar capacity by 2022. It also stresses on the need for a renewable energy policy to convene the needs of the poorest people in the country. “There were several challenges like air pollution, climate change and lack of clean fuel for cooking for which renewable energy was crucial,” said Sunita Narian, CSE Director General .

“We believe that India needs a renewable energy policy that is less about industry and more about ensuring supply to meet the needs of the poorest in the country. It should be a means to both de-carbonise the economy and provide access to large numbers of people who are energy-deprived,”she added further.

“Renewable energy is not just another infrastructural challenge, rather this sector is important to achieve the challenges of modern era,” Narain believed

Priyavrat Bhati, Advisor, Energy group, CSE, further that renewable energy got a boost in 2015 when India decided to install 175 GW capacity of such energy by 2022, but the thrust seems to have slowed down in 2018. Referring to the crucial apprehensions acknowledged by the report, He said inconsistent policy has been the bother of the renewable energy sector

“Nothing can be more disrupting for a promising sector that seeks to attract global investors, than ad hoc and unexpected policy changes,” he further alleged.

The report advises augment in the share of distributed renewable generation – solar rooftops and mini-grids — besides encouraging ‘smart grids’ that use communications infrastructure, control systems and information technology for efficient delivery.

It also recommends investing in developing economical energy-storage capacity, adding that an indigenous research can develop existing technology in terms of cost and performance.