India targets 30GW solar capacity by 2017

A renewable energy deployment plan has been developed by India to accelerate the number of solar installations in the country to 30GW by 2017.

This was announced by the India's Minister of New and Renewable Energy, Dr Farooq Abdullah, at the Institute of International and European Affairs in Dublin, Ireland.

The deployment plan also calls for India to generate 15% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2020.

India’s current installed capacity is over 25GW of grid-connected power and through the country’s Jawahar Lal Nehru National Solar Mission, it aims to further install 20GW grid-connected and 2GW off-grid solar power. In addition the country is expecting to develop 20 million square metres of solar thermal collector area and 20 million rural households with solar home lighting by 2022.

Dr Abdullah also said that the JNNSM has led to a reduction in the price of solar electricity from about US$0.35 per kWh to less than US$0.17 per kWh in the last year.

Dr. Abdullah added that the private sector has also always played a key role in India’s efforts to tap renewable energy and India encourages foreign direct investment for renewable energy development and deployment.

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