The Hindu Business Line : `Grid quality power to 25,000 villages by 2012'

THE Centre is working towards providing grid quality power to 25,000 remote villages by 2012 and plans to add 2 lakh MW of generation capacity from renewable sources by 2050, Mr Vilas Muttemwar, Minister of State for Non-Conventional Energy Sources (MNES), said here on Thursday.

"Renewable energy can provide India with energy security and energy independence," he said at a seminar on renewable energy organised jointly by World Institute of Sustainable Energy and CII.

Listing out the Government's priorities, Mr Muttemwar said he would focus on ensuring market penetration of alternative fuel systems and devices for stationary, portable and transport applications. Also, augmenting of rural energy needs through bio-energy and deployment of renewable energy systems and devices for industrial, commercial and urban use are high on the agenda, he said.

Mr Muttemwar said it is imperative that a separate legislation be put in place for the growth and development of this sector. While the Electricity Act 2003 provides for the growth of renewable energy, the need for a Renewable Energy Act cannot be discounted. Such an act would meet a long-felt demand, he said.

"All stakeholders should participate to take the process forward and put renewable energy on par with conventional power," he added.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr A.M. Gokhale, Secretary, MNES, said there was need to downscale project size as this raised efficiency and shortened the gestation time for projects. In the context of renewable energy, downscaling would make it possible for individual users to set up units for wind energy.

"We have to think about small projects once more as it is sustainable and viable," he said.

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