Renewable energy: now or never

Introduction

• India's efforts to boost its renewable energy sector have not only helped reduce greenhouse gas emissions from thermal power plants but also spurred economic growth.
• India now ranks fourth globally with 145 GW of installed renewable energy capacity, excluding large hydropower plants.
• Government schemes promoting bioenergy, wind and solar power have played a key role in this. To sustain this growth, India needs to critically evaluate the barriers to clean energy adoption.

Compressed Biogas: A Gateway to Possibilities

• Compressed Biogas (CBG) is a clean fuel produced from farm residues and solid waste.
  • It is a better alternative to imported Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) as both CBG and CNG have almost similar properties and combustion efficiency.
• Under the “Sustainable Alternative for Affordable Transport (SATAT) initiative, the government plans to set up 5,000 CBG plants across the country. However, there are some challenges in this sector.
  • Many CBG plants not working at full capacity
  • Shortage of raw material
  • Limited CNG infrastructure
  • Shortage of skilled workforce
  • Shortage of straw and residue collecting machines
  • Financial constraints

Important suggestions:

• Government subsidy measures to promote mechanization in collection of biomass.
• Development of standard operating procedures for use of Fermented Organic Manure (FOM), a by-product of CBG, as organic manure along with training of farmers on its use.
• Encouraging farmers’ organizations for collection of farm waste.
• Skill development programme on biogas development through National Skill Training Institutes.
• Need to make wind energy attractive
• Wind energy contributes the second largest share of total renewable energy capacity after solar energy at 45 GW (32 per cent).
• India has the potential to generate 700 GW of electricity from wind energy and the central government aims to increase wind energy capacity to 172 GW by 2030.
  • Of this, 140 GW will come from land projects and 32 GW from offshore projects.
• Barriers:
• • Complexity of the process of expanding wind power capacity
  • Barriers in land acquisition process
  • Lack of adequate investment
  • Environmental complexities
  • Policy challenges

Suggestions:

• Land acquisition is a major hurdle for the government in expanding wind power capacity. This problem can be overcome by simplifying the land acquisition process, clarifying land-use policies and ensuring proper compensation to landowners.
• There is a need to implement serious environmental impact assessment and mitigation strategies to protect the marine ecosystem.
• To allay investors' fears, the government can launch a project on a pilot basis and prove the profitability of offshore wind energy.

Need to make solar power affordable

• The installed capacity from solar power is set to grow from 1.2 GW in FY 2013-14 to 82 GW in 2023-24.
• To sustain the current growth rate, the government needs to address challenges that cause delays in timely completion of projects, integration into the grid, and power purchase practices.
• Suggestions:
• Strengthening power system interface to enhance grid stability for efficient transmission of solar energy.
• Prioritization of combined projects for solar and wind energy in high potential areas.
  • Such solar-wind hybrid plants can enable 24X7 power generation.
• Seamless integration of renewable energy into the grid when combined with battery storage devices.
  • This will also boost the domestic battery manufacturing industry and make electricity rates competitive.
• Promoting alternative locations for setting up solar power plants instead of permanently acquiring land.
  • For example, setting up floating solar power plants on water.