Feb 19 2011
The World Bank has disclosed that India could generate 68,000 MW power, which would cost less that Rs 6 per unit from renewable energy sources such as wind, biomass and hydro. Electricity demands are expected to show a 7.4% growth during the next 25 years and to fulfill the demands, the generation capacity would have to increase almost five times as what it is currently now.
Official data reveals that the current installed capacity of the nation is about 1,70,229 MW coming from all sources of energy. A report titled ‘Potential of Renewable Energy in India’ from a multilateral funding agency suggested that in the long run it was better to develop indigenous sources of renewable energy, which would have low marginal generation expenses. The report also recommended that for the development of the regional economy in the country, renewable energy development would be a very important tool.
Almost 65% of the nation’s hydro power resources come from the states of Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh, while wind potential in Orissa and biomass in Madhya Pradesh remains untapped. The report accentuated the price volatility of the fossil fuels during the recent years and stated that only renewables had the answer to the problem of fossil fuel price volatility. The usage of renewable energy would increase energy security and also enhance the price certainty. Small hydropower lies unexploited in states such as Andhra Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. The generation of electricity from small hydropower would cost the same as that from thermal generation sources while biomass energy generation is comparable to that of wind energy generation.
According to the World Bank Country Director in India, N Roberto Zagha, all the renewables including solar were less costly than diesel. The government has a plan of installing about 40,000 MW of renewable energy during the next ten years. The report is compiled from the data gathered from small hydropower, wind, biomass projects in 20 states and also from the data from the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission and the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.
Source: http://www.mnre.gov.in