The Hindu Business Line : `Renewable energy sector needs separate policy, law'

Addressing Green Power 2005, a two-day national conference organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry, Mr G.M. Pillai, Director General, World Institute for Sustainable Energy, said renewable energy could contribute significantly to India's energy security.

But the industry will have to back that statement with facts and scientific studies.

Policy makers can be moved by economic and security concerns rather than environmental concerns. The industry lacks the detailed statistics to support its arguments, however true, he said.

Energy security is affected if the country has to look overseas for inputs such as coal and fuel.

Oil supply is going down continuously and prices up. Renewable energy can be a sustainable source to augment conventional power.

Developed countries such as Germany and the US have detailed scientific studies on various aspects of renewable energy but India is yet to initiate such studies.

The industry, too, should play a more active role in formulating energy-related policies, he said.

Mr Ramesh Khymal, Chairman, CII's Renewable Energy Council, said a comprehensive national level renewable energy policy was needed for the development of the sector.

The policy should address long-term power purchase agreement and tariffs; State electricity regulatory commissions should specify the percentage of total power to be generated from renewable sources; and a renewable energy fund needs to be created by putting a cess on conventional electricity consumption to provide credit guarantee for green power projects.

India should emulate China, which has enacted Renewable Energy Act and has set itself a target of generating 20,000 MW power from renewable sources by 2012.

But India, which is now ahead in investments in this sector, has set itself a modest target of 10,000 MW.

The wind energy potential is estimated at 45,000 MW but the installed capacity is 3,600 MW of which 1,100 MW was added last year alone.

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page