NEED to expedite implementation of renewable energy projects

Chandigarh, July 5, 2013: Ratan P. Watal, Secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India today presided over a regional meeting to review the progress of implementation of renewable energy projects and programmes in the Northern States consisting of Punjab, Chandigarh, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh.

On this occasion, the state nodal agency of Punjab, PEDA made a presentation of its various programmes and achievements in the Solar, Biomass, Co-generation and Mini hydro sectors and informed about the new initiatives being taken, i.e. 250 MW Solar PV Power projects being allocated. It was informed that competitive bidding of 300MW Biomass power projects was on the anvil. A total capacity of 560 MW renewable energy power projects were in operation and total capacity addition of 2550 MW was being targeted at by 2022 under the NRSE Policy-2012, under which the Punjab government has provided a slew of incentives for encouraging investment in this sector.

The meeting was organised and hosted by Punjab Energy Development Agency and it was attended by Joint Secretary, MNRE, Tarun Kapoor and Senior Officers, Advisors and Directors from MNRE, GOI along with Principal Secretaries / Secretaries of Departments of New & Renewable Energy of various State Governments and Directors, Senior Officers of State Nodal Agencies.

During the meeting other states like Haryana, Chandigarh, J&K, Himachal and Uttarakhand also made their presentations with regard to potential of renewable energy, status of RE programmes, projects and implementation of state targets for the 12th plan and the financial year 2013-14 and also the status of pending utilisation certificates.

Detailed discussions and deliberations were held by with the purpose to speed up the implementation of the renewable energy projects and programmes.