Javadekar on renewable expansion

India has called on more countries to join the International Solar Alliance (ISA) to reduce dependence on fossil fuels to meet the growing energy requirement.

The call was made by Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Prakash Javadekar at a Ministerial Plenary on “SOLAR AND THE SIDS – Making the Sun Shine Brighter”, on the sidelines of the 25th session of Conference of Parties under the UN framework convention of Climate Change (UNFCCC COP25), in Madrid on 9 Dec 2019.

He acknowledged the phenomenal progress made by the Alliance and the growing solar energy capabilities the world over.

“Four years ago, when ISA was launched in Paris, it was a new beginning. Now I can say that the four-year old child is running fast, but it must run faster because the need of the hour is that we must tap solar in a big way,” he told delegates at the gathering.

Expressing contentment over 83 countries joining the ISA in just four years, Javadekar stated “When ISA was launched, the idea was that all those countries, who get more solar energy as they fall between Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn, should come together to create consumers’ own market.”

He further said “I must also congratulate you all as the International Solar Alliance has aggregated demand from various countries on Solar Agriculture Pumps and have floated a tender in which four parties have submitted their bids. I am sure that a best deal is on the cards and they will get it soon”.

Listing out India’s aggressive expansion of renewable energy mix, Javadekar pointed out that “five years ago, India had just 3 GW (of Solar). Today we have 33 GW of solar energy. It is huge.”

India is going to achieve 100 GW of Solar energy by 2022 i.e. in the next three years it will add 67 GW more of solar energy, the Minister said pointing to the sharp fall in the prices of solar energy due to enhancement of capacity.

“The prices (of Solar Energy) used to be Rs.20 per unit. Now, it is just 10% of it,” he added.

Javadekar also spoke at length about making efforts towards increasing renewable energy capacity.

“All countries need to do it because the target of UNFCCC is to do away with use of all fossil fuels, not only coal. We (India) have today 37% energy capacity through renewables. We want to increase it because our energy demand is rising so we have decided to have 40% of energy capacity through renewal energy – solar, wind, bio-waste”, said the Minister.

“When we meet in Glasgow next year, I am sure, there will be more progress in ISA,” he said. fiinews.com