RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES

2.1 Power from Renewable Energy Sources

Renewable energy technologies based on the inexhaustible

resources of sunlight, wind and biomass are considered to offer sustainable
energy alternatives to a world beset by various environmental problems and
volatile fossil fuel politics. Increasing shares of global energy needs are
expected to be met by renewable in the years ahead. India is abundantly
endowed with renewable energy resources viz. solar energy, wind energy,
biomass and small hydro, widely distributed across the country, and can be
utilized through commercially viable technologies to generate power.
Increasing the use of these sources will also be instrumental in
simultaneously achieving environmental objectives like reduction of GHG
(Green House Gases) emission. Details of renewable energy potential and
achievement as on December 31,2001 is presented in Table -2.1(a)

Table-2.1(a) : Renewable Energy Potential & Achievement

S Source/technologies Approximate Achieveme

.No potential nt
.
1 Wind Energy 45,000MW 1,267MW
2 Small Hydro(up to 15,000MW 1,341MW
25MW)
3 Biomass / Biogases Co- 19,500MW 273MW
generation
4 Solar PV 20MW/KM2 47MW
5 Urban & Industrial 1,700MW 15.15MW
waste
6 Biogas Plants 120 Millions 3.182MW
From above table, around 3000MW (3% of total installed capacity) capacity
of Renewable Energy (RE) projects has been installed in the country. India is
planning to add about 12,000MW power generating capacity from renewable
by the end of 11th plan(2011-2012). Almost haif of it is expected to come
from wind, 3,500MW from biomass and 2,000MW from small hydro.

Table-2.1(b): Capacity additions from non-conventional energy

sources

S Source of Energy Program Capacity in MW

.No
.
9th Plan 10th Plan 11th Plan
1 Wind Power 3,000 6,000 9,000
2 Small Hydro 1,000 2,000 3,000
3 Biomass Cogeneration 1,000 2,000 3,000
4 Solar Photo voltaic 300 600 900
5 Urban and Industrial 200 400 600
waste
6 Biogas plants 1,000 2,000 3,000
TOTAL 6,500 13,000 19,500