India to announce National Solar Mission
07 Oct 2009
New Delhi: The Indian government is likely to announce that 15 per cent of its new energy capacity addition would be from renewable resources by 2020. The announcement is likely to be made ahead of the United Nations conference on climate change in Copenhagen at the year end.
Government sources say the prime minister's office (PMO) is preparing a draft on a national solar mission that is likely to be announced on 14 November. With an envisaged installed solar generation capacity of 20,000 MW, 100,000 MW and 200,000 MW in 2020, 2030 and 2050, respectively the mission will aim at making India a global leader in solar energy.
The government is expected to allocate Rs85,000-Rs105,000 crore to support the mission over 30 years.
Sources suggest that the mission would aim at achieving tariff parity with conventional grid power in the period 2017-2020.
Industry experts say that a 15 per cent target ought to be acceptable to the industry, which was actually looking at sourcing at least 20 per cent from renewable resources by 2020.
Developed nations are under immense pressure from developing nations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
India unveiled a detailed roadmap to phase out the ozone-depleting greenhouse gases hydrochlorofluorocarbons on Tuesday.
