Last two years have been significant for the Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy Sources (MNES) as many innovative measures were initiated and new schemes launched to accelerate utilisation and exploitation of the New and Renewable Energy Sources of Energy (NRSE).  As a result, the Renewable Energy Sector is increasingly assuming a greater role in providing grid power to the Nation as its total capacities reached about 8,000 MW and India attaining Fourth position in wind power in the world with more than 5,300 MW capacity from wind power alone. 

India attains 2^nd position in biogas plants, 7^th position in Solar Photovoltaic Cell production and 9^th position in Solar Thermal Systems.  Indian photovoltaic industry has exported 95 MW of solar cells and modules to European countries, USA, Australia and other countries in last 2 years.  There has been large deployment of renewable energy devices and systems to meet cooking, lighting, water heating, motive power and meeting captive power requirements in rural, urban, industrial and commercial sectors.

Tremendous Progress in Boosting-up Wind Energy Capacity

            In May 2005, India surpassed Denmark and attended 4th position in the world after Germany, Spain and US in wind power generation capacity. Grid-connected power generation capacity, through wind energy, crossed 5,300 MW.  More than half of this was achieved in last two years alone with a capacity addition of 2,850 MW.  In a significant recognition, World Wind Energy Association (WWEA) conferred World Wind Energy Award – 2005 on the Ministry.  Shri Vilas Muttemwar, Minister for Non Conventional Sources of Energy, received this award on  November 4, 2005, at Melbourne, Australia.  This award was given for making outstanding achievements in formulating and implementing favourable policies for promotion of wind energy.   The first 2 MW single wind turbine was installed at Chettikulam, Tirunelveli District, Tamil Nadu, which is the largest unit size installation in Asia.

 

60 New Small Hydro Projects (SHP)

As many as 60 Small Hydro Power Projects up to 25 MW, capacity aggregating to 223 MW, were commission during the last two years.  Of which, 12 Small Hydro Projects (SHP), aggregating to 15 MW, are in the North-Eastern Region.  Besides, quality standards for Micro Hydro Projects have also been developed.  Development Real Time Digital Simulator for Small Hydro Projects has been initiated at IIT, Roorkee.  Global Information System (GIS) based Renewable Energy Resource Potential Mapping has been initiated by the Ministry in 2005.

 

A New Group on Urban, Industrial and Commercial Applications

            A major initiative was taken by the Ministry in February, 2005, by creating a new Group on Urban, Industrial and Commercial Applications to focus on the application of renewable energy technologies to mitigate the energy problems of cities, and to provide alternative energy solutions. This is envisaged broadly through the programmes on Solar thermal and photovoltaic devices and systems, energy recovery from urban, industrial and commercial wastes and Biomass energy and co-generation in industry. Revised/new schemes were developed by the Ministry covering the above programmes, and notified in July/August, 2005. 

 

Programme on Accelerated Solar Water Heating Systems

Aiming to reduce electric loads for water heating by using solar energy, a new scheme was launched to promote the use of Solar Water Heating Systems, reducing interest rates to 2 per cent for domestic users, 3 per cent for institutional users and 5 per cent for commercial users.  These interest rates were in the range of 5 to 7 per cent earlier.  A large number of nationalised and scheduled/Cooperative banks have shown keen interest for providing soft loan under the scheme.  Over 6,00,000 m² of collector area was covered during last two years in the country by solar water heating systems in domestic, industrial and commercial sectors, making the cumulative installed collector area of 15 lakh m².  A solar steam cooking system consisting of 20 dishes of 12.6m²  area each, was commissioned at Global Hospital and Research Centre, Mount Abu.  The system produces around 1,200 Kg. of steam every day that is being used for the purpose of cooking, sterilisation and laundry.

 

Energy Recovery from Urban Wastes

An Accelerated Programme on Energy Recovery from Urban Wastes was developed by the Ministry. Following the success of the waste-to-energy projects at Hyderabad and Vijayawada, commended by the President of India and the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Energy, it was decided to promote on a fast track mode the projects for power generation from Municipal Solid Wastes (MSW) based on production and combustion of Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF). The Scheme is being implemented through public-private partnership by Municipal Corporations, Government institutions and private developers having technical and managerial capabilities.  A total capacity of 19.5 MW has so far been set-up, which includes a 1 MW Power project based on cattle dung dedicated on April 29, 2006, at Ludhiana in Punjab. A 250 KW project based on vegetable market wastes was commissioned at Chennai. 

 

Energy Recovery from Industrial and Commercial Waste

In order to accelerate the pace of development and setting up of projects for energy recovery from industrial and commercial wastes, a modified scheme was introduced by the Ministry, which is more conducive and attractive for private investments towards production of grid electricity, as well as for thermal energy from wastes from distilleries, poultry industry, paper industry, food processing industry etc. Financial assistance ranging from Rs. 50 lakh to Rs. 1 crore per MW is available for such projects depending on the technology and end use application . A plant for power generating 3MW from palm oil industry wastes was commissioned in Andhra Pradesh and another  project of 1.5 MW power was commissioned during 2005-06, taking the aggregate capacity of industrial waste-to-energy projects to 26.25 MW.

 

Biomass Power and Bagasse Cogeneration

In view of the considerable potential for generation of heat and/or power from other biomass resources, including energy plantations and crop residues, a new scheme has been introduced by the Ministry.  The scheme aim at harnessing the potential for captive energy generation in industry, with additional benefits of waste reduction and abatement of environmental pollution. The scheme has also been extended to institutions setting-up such projects, for captive power. Financial assistance ranging from Rs. 20 lakh  to Rs. 1.5 crore per MW is available for such projects, depending on the technology and end-use applications. During 2005-06, two biomass co-generation projects of 7.5 MW capacity and 25 biomass gasifier systems of 6.5 MW capacity were installed in various industries to meet their heat/power requirement.

 

Remote Villages Electrification through Renewable Energy

            As many as 2,237 census villages and 594 hamlets have been electrified through Renewable Energy (RE) sources.  In addition, work is going on in another 1,563 villages and 723 hamlets. There are new proposals for electrification of around 3,000 remote villages in 18 States.  These remote villages do not have any grid connectivity.  Above all, conventional power supply may not be feasible or cost effective in their case.  Such villages are being electrified with the help of non-conventional energy sources with 90 per cent of the cost of electrification provided as Central Financial Assistance under Remote Village Electrification Scheme.

The Remote Village Electrification Scheme (RVES) is now being aligned with the Rajiv Gandhi Gramin Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY) as part of the goal of electricity to all households by 2009.  Villages identified by the Rural Electrification Corporation, the implementing agency for RGGVY, which are not likely to receive grid-connectivity under RGGVY, would be now provided Renewable Energy Distributed Generation Systems (RE-DSGS) under the RVE Scheme of MNES. Thrust is now being given to creation of capacity for grid quality electricity in remote villages also.  This is being achieved through installation of biomass gasification, small hydro or solar power plants. 

Village Energy Security (VES) through Biomass

A new pilot project to provide energy security to villages from locally available biomass resources was launched and the First Project was commissioned at a remote forest fringe tribal village named Kasai in Betul district of Madhya Pradesh on October 29, 2005.  The whole energy requirement of the village relating to electricity, motive power and cooking fuel etc. is met by energy generated through biomass gasifiers and biogas plants using locally available biomass; waste wood special plantation is done for meeting future requirements. The project has the potential of transforming the entire socio-economic life of the remote and un-electrified villages.  Operated through a Village Energy Committee (VEC), the scheme gives stake to the village-folks as well as create local employment opportunities.  The first batch of 24 test VES projects, taken-up in 2004-05 was sanctioned in March 2005, in the States of Madhya Pradesh (11 nos.), West Bengal (7 nos.), and Rajasthan (6 nos.)  Another 60 projects were sanctioned during 2005-06 in 10 States. A total of 200 test projects are planned by March 2007.

   

Biomass Power Generation

First 1MW grid interactive biomass gasifier based power project was commissioned at Coimbatore (Tamil Naidu).  In addition, village level biomass gasifier systems with installed capacity of 1,052 KW during 2004-05 and 3,012 KW during 2005-06, were set-up during this period.  About 137 small capacity biomass gasifier systems were sanctioned for providing electricity for pumping and urgent demand of electricity during this period.  A New Scheme on biomass based distributed power generation (3 KW-250 KW) has been started.  A project has been sanctioned for biogas-operated micro-turbines of 2X30 KW for rural electrification of Piltora and Islampur villages of district Purulia (West Bengal) during February 2006.

 

Small Wind Energy and Wind Solar Hybrid System

Under a programme for development and promotion of water pumping wind mills  and wind-solar hybrid systems in the country, about 1,100 windmills and wind-solar hybrid systems aggregating a capacity of about 500 kW have been installed in the country, which include 145 water pumping wind mills and 137 kW capacity of wind-solar hybrid systems installed during last two years.  A 250 W aero generator was developed indigenously at Osmania University, Hyderabad, which was supported by the Ministry.

 

Standalone Renewable Energy Systems

            About 1.68 lakh biogas plants were installed in last two years taking total biogas plants to 38 lakh meeting cooking fuel requirements of households particularly in rural areas under National Biogas and Manure Management Programme of the Ministry. A new Scheme on “Demonstration and promotion of solar photovoltaic devices and systems in urban areas” was developed and forwarded to all States for implementation for the devices and systems like solar traffic lights with Central Finance Assistance of up to 50 per cent. Another new Scheme was introduced to provide subsidy of Rs. 2,400 per unit for solar lanterns to be provided to the families in the un-electrified villages of  the States of North East and Uttaranchal, Himachal Pradesh and J& K.

 

National Hydrogen Energy Road Map

            A National Hydrogen Energy Road Map was prepared and submitted to Shri Vilas Muttemwar, Minister for Non Conventional Sources of Energy, in November, 2005, by a Steering Committee headed by Shri Ratan Tata, a leading industrialist.  The Road Map discusses different aspects of hydrogen energy that include production, storage, transport, delivery, applications, safety, standards and codes, capacity building and creating awareness among others.  It envisages one million hydrogen-fuel based vehicles on Indian roads and generation of 1,000 MW of power through Hydrogen Energy based power projects by 2020.

 

Solar Photovoltaic Road Map

            A total capacity of solar photovoltaic (SPV) modules production reached to a level of 110 MW per year.  In order to further develop and make solar photovoltaic energy systems more efficient and cost competitive, a group of experts was constituted to prepare a Photovoltaic Technology Map for India.  The Road Map will suggest measures to improve the technology to further reduce the cost and expand the solar photovoltaic applications in the country.  The report of this group is expected by December, 2006.

 

Draft New and Renewable Energy Policy

            A draft New and Renewable Policy in 2005 was prepared. The draft policy sets out a long-term strategic vision for the new and renewable sources in the country, with the aim to develop substitutes for liquid, gaseous and solid fossil fuels.  The draft policy has been placed on the Ministry’ s website for views and comments from various stakeholders. The Policy is likely to be finalised by the end of 2006.

 

New Initiatives for Publicity and Awareness Creation

A number of initiatives were taken to create a positive environment and greater awareness about New and Renewable Sources of Energy (NRSE) as the same would help in greater acceptability of the systems by general public, both in rural and urban areas.  Following initiatives may be mentioned in this regard:

 

Rajiv Gandhi Akhshay Urja Diwas

 One of the most effective and far reaching mass awareness campaigns organised by the Ministry, includes the observing of the birthday of former Prime Minister of India, late Shri Rajiv Gandhi, as Rajiv Gandhi Akshay Urja Diwas on August 20, all over the country since 2004.  Awareness Programmes on mass scale were organised at National, State, District and Block/Taluka levels in the whole country.  Major public awareness activities, organised on this occasion through out the country, include holding of mass rallies, formation of human chains, organisation of essay, quiz, slogan-writing and painting competitions, and debates, seminar and group discussions etc. among others.  All these activities were organised from taluka/block level onwards to create much needed awareness about the use of renewable energy devices and systems in daily life.

           

District Advisory Committees

The Ministry took the initiative to constitute District Advisory Committees (DACs) to create awareness about renewable energy devices and systems in the respective district.  DACs have been set-up in 512 districts of the country, which has given much-needed fillip to the use of renewable energy in rural as well as urban areas. The members of a DAC are required to meet at least once in every quarter and also have women representatives as its members besides others.  These committees have led to the creation of an effective renewable energy promotion network at grass root level and will help integrate renewable energy schemes with other developmental schemes.

 

Renewable Energy Clubs

A new scheme was also evolved to promote the study of renewable energy amongst the upcoming scientific community by supporting Renewable Energy Clubs (RECs) in all such Engineering Colleges/Technology Institutions all over the country, which are recognised/approved by AICTE.  These clubs are funded with a grant of Rs.25,000 per annum by the Ministry and would educate the young and future scientists about the potentials of renewable energy sources, which are  infinite and abound in availability and environmentally benign.  Besides developing a scientific temper among young community, these RECs would also  go a long way to expose them to the career possibilities in this sector. 

 

Exhibitions

The Ministry (MNES) financially supported about 60 regional level exhibitions in different districts of various States/UTs of the country in which different NRSE systems and devices as well as working models, posters and translites etc. were displayed in order to create mass awareness among the people at large. These exhibitions were organised through the respective State Nodal Agency (SNA).  The Ministry also directly participated in the India International Trade Fair (IITF-2005) at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, from November 14-27, 2005. Lacs of visitors, including students of schools/colleges, youth and media persons among others, visited Renewable Energy Pavilion set-up by the MNES during this exhibition. 

The Ministry also participated in Vigyan Mail exhibition organised by Ministry of Science & Technology in coordination with Ministry of Railways. One full rail coach was dedicated to Renewable Energy in this exhibition in which posters, translites, various working models and actual devices of renewable energy were displayed for the benefit of visiting school children and public at large.

Renewable Energy Compendium and Akshay Urja Newsletter

A Compendium on Renewable Energy was also released in November, 2005, containing up-to-date information on Renewable Energy scenario in India.  Prepared in association with ASSOCHAM, it contains profiles of about 150 Renewable Energy industries in the area of solar, wind, small hydro, biomass gasification, co-generation and waste to energy etc. 

A bi-monthly newsletter entitled “Akshay Urja” was also started with first issue launched by Hon’ble Lok Sabha Speaker, Shri Somnath Chatterjee, on March 22, 2005. The News letter has been well received with six issues published so far containing useful information and developments in the Renewable Energy sector not only in India but also abroad.

 Media Workshops

            Four workshops for media persons, both from print and electronic media, were also organised in different regions of the country during this period in order to inform, educate and brief more than 150 media persons about new and renewable sources of energy, its various systems and devices as well as Renewable Energy Technologies.  These media persons, in turn, will use this information and background material while writing news stories, features and articles on the subject and thereby help in bringing about Renewable Energy revolution in the country.  These workshops have evoked highly encouraging response from media and various stories have appeared both in electronic and print media relating to NRSE system and devices.  This will help in the long run in building a resource bank in long run, which, in turn, will help in creating mass awareness at large about various renewable sources of energy, its various benefits and eco-friendly nature.

 

Energy Parks

            Under Special Area Development Scheme (SADS), 419 District Level Energy Parks (DLEPs) and 20 State Level Energy Parks (SLEPs) have been sanctioned in the country, out of which 42 DLEPs and three SLEPs were sanctioned during the financial year 2005-06. The objectives of the Energy Park Scheme is to promote and create awareness among the students, teachers, rural and urban masses to the extent possible about the use and benefits of Renewable Energy systems and devices. In these Energy Parks, various actual NRSE systems and devices, along with working models, are displayed giving first hand information to the visitors.

 

 

 

Akshay Urja Shops

With a view to increasing the outreach of renewable systems and devices, a scheme of Akshay Urja Shops was launched to cover every district of the country to ensure easy availability of such systems and devices, apart from catering to repair and maintenance needs.  With the setting-up of these shops and other related initiatives, it is expected that the common man will embrace renewable energy technologies in a big way for augmenting energy needs of cooking, lighting and motive power.  By March 2007, 500 Akshay Urja Shops are planned to be set-up.

 R&D Institutions Charter Rationalisation

             Steps were taken to clearly demarcate the areas of different institutions engaged in renewable energy research and development so as to cover all possible new and renewable energy technologies, without overlap and duplication.  To accelerate R&D activities pertaining to Solar Energy at the Solar Energy Centre (SEC), additional appropriate scientific personnel were deputed. 

 

Budgetary outlay was doubled for up-gradation of facilities and infrastructure so as to make it a center of excellence.  In addition, SEC will also house the facilities to be set-up for hydrogen and fuel cell R&D.  NIRE, an institution being set-up for R&D in renewable energy at Jalandhar (Panjab), will now focus only on bio-energy, including bio-fuels and synthetic fuels.

 

The Centre for Wind Energy Technology (C-WET) would continue to focus on wind power technologies, while the Alternate Hydro Energy Centre at IIT Roorkee would continue to focus on small hydropower.  In this manner, the entire new and renewable energy spectrum should get covered in the above-referred institutions.

 

International Cooperation in Renewable Energy

During the period, special efforts were made to explore the possibility of strengthening country’s R&D capabilities by interacting with developed countries for joint research, design, development, demonstration and manufacture of renewable energy systems. Efforts were made to showcase Indian strengths in renewable energy for possible cooperation with south eastern Asian countries.  Under the India-EU Strategic Partnership, a Working Group on Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency was set up to coordinate cooperation in the area. 

 

A Working Group on New Technologies and Renewable Energy (WGNTE) was constituted under the Indo-US Energy Dialogue to coordinate the cooperation activities between the two countries and the specific areas of cooperation were identified. Financial assistance was extended for providing electricity in an un-electrified village in Sudan through solar photovoltaic systems.  In addition, the Ministry organised training programmes for a number of developing countries, to provide an exposure to the development in renewable energy.

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