‘States need to align policy to meet renewable energy targets’

State governments need to align their policies to meet the country’s ambitious renewable energy targets, according to Rajeev Kapoor, Secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.

Speaking at the award ceremony for good performance under the Off Grid clean energy programme, he said, “the mechanism for compliance of Renewable Purchase Obligations (RPO) needs to be strengthened. There is a need for standardised guidelines across States for renewable energy. While minor deviations can be there to suit the needs of the State, the broader policies for renewable energy have to be aligned with national policy”.

Kapoor also launched a mobile App for Grid Connected Rooftop Solar Power Systems at the event.

Under the National Solar Mission, India will source 17 per cent of its total power requirement from renewable energy by 2022. State governments have been mandated to procure a minimum eight per cent of their power requirement from solar energy to enable the same, the balance will be procured from other means of clean energy.

The provision has been made to ensure consumption of 175 GW of renewable energy generation capacities expected to come online by 2022.

In March 2016, the Centre held talks with States to outline the trajectory of their renewable energy policies. MNRE officials told BusinessLine that till now only four State governments have submitted a year wise road map of ramping up clean energy consumption to meet the RPO targets. These include Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Karnataka and Chhattisgarh.

Later Kapoor said that the Centre was working with States to ensure usage of renewable energy. The government is now focusing on having targets for annual increase of renewable energy usage.

He said, “The target is very ambitious and state governments are working towards them. We expect most of the States to come out with their RPO trajectory in a few months.”

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