[Indian Year Book 2022-23]* Indian Year Book Notes | Chapter 22. Energy

 

Indian Year Book

(2022-23)

Chapter – 22. Energy

 

Energy is an essential input for economic development and improving the quality of life. Development of conventional forms of energy for meeting the growing energy needs of society at a reasonable cost is the responsibility of the government. Development and promotion of non conventional/alternate/new and renewable sources of energy such as solar, wind and bio-energy, etc., are also getting sustained attention. Nuclear energy development is being geared up to contribute signifi cantly to the overall energy availability in the country

 

Power

Ø  Power development in India commenced at the end of the nineteenth century with the commissioning of electricity supply in Darjeeling during 1897, followed by the commissioning of a hydropower station at Shivasamudram in Karnataka during 1902.

Ø  The Ministry of Power is primarily responsible for the development of electrical energy in the country.

Ø  In all technical matters, the Ministry of Power is assisted by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA).

 

Central Electricity Authority (CEA)

·         The Central Electricity Authority of India advises the government on policy matters and formulates plans for the development of electricity systems.

·         It is a statutory organisation constituted under section 3 of Electricity Supply Act 1948, which has been superseded by section 70 of the Electricity Act 2003.

 

Ø  The construction and operation of generation and transmission projects in the central sector are entrusted to Central Sector Corporations, viz., the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC), the North-Eastern Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO), and the Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL).

Ø  The Power Grid is responsible for all the existing and future transmission projects in the central sector and also for the formation of the National Power Grid.

Ø  Programmes of rural electrifi cation are provided fi nancial assistance by the Rural Electrifi cation Corporation (REC).

Ø  The Power Finance Corporation (PFC) and Rural Electrifi cation Corporation (REC) provide term-fi nance to projects in the power sector.

Ø  A Power Trading Corporation has also been incorporated primarily to support the Mega Power Projects in private sector by acting as a single entity to enter into Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs).

 

Power Sector Initiatives

 Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana

·         The erstwhile rural electrifi cation scheme was subsumed in DDUGJY as a separate rural electrifi cation component. All villages/habitations have become eligible without any population restrictions.

·         District Electricity Committees (now DISHA) were formed for its implementation.

 

Objectives

·         to separate agriculture and non-agriculture feeders for judicious rostering of supply to agricultural and non-agricultural consumers in rural areas

·         strengthening and augmentation of sub-transmission and distribution infrastructure in rural areas

·         metering in rural areas (feeders, distribution transformers and consumers).

 

Saubhagya—Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana

·         The Scheme was launched to achieve universal household electrifi cation in the country by March 2019.

 

Objectives

·         To provide electricity connections to all un-electrifi ed households in rural areas. Above Poverty Line (APL) households will get electricity connections on payment of Rs 500 (which is payable in 10 installments in the electricity bill).

·         Solar Photo Voltaic (SPV) based stand-alone system for un-electrifi ed households located in remote and inaccessible villages/habitations, where grid extension is not feasible or cost effective, will be provided.

·         Providing electricity connections to all remaining economically poor un-electrifi ed households in urban areas.

 

Integrated Power Development Scheme

·         The scheme was launched to strengthen power distribution sector in urban areas.

·         It was launched by the Ministry of Power.

 

UDAY—Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana

·         UDAY scheme was launched in 2015 for a sustainable solution to the operational and fi nancial ineffi ciencies of DISCOMs across the country.

·         It works through targeted interventions in the form of lower interest costs, reduction of cost of power, increased revenues and improved operational effi ciencies.

·         UDAY is voluntary scheme for participation and 26 states and one union territory have joined the scheme.

·         The scheme is being monitored by an inter-ministerial committee and a state level committee.

·         A portal (www.uday.gov.in) has been developed for ease of data entry by states/DISCOMs.

 

 Development of National Grid

·         National power grid in the country is being developed in a phased manner.

·         The updated version of Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) was launched in 2017.

 

Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC)

·         The Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) was launched in May 2007 by the Bureau of Energy Effi ciency (BEE), Ministry of Power.

·         Its main objective is to establish minimum requirements for energy effi cient design and construction of buildings.

·         The ECBC is applicable to all buildings or building complexes that have a connected load of 100 kW or greater, or a contract demand of 120 kVA or greater and used for commercial purposes.

·         It is applicable for both Government and private buildings.

 

·         The scope of ECBC 2017 includes norms and standards for building design, including the envelope, lighting, heating, air-conditioning and electrical systems.

·         It sets minimum energy standard for new commercial building having connected load of 100 KW and above or contract demand of 120 KW and above.

 

Energy Conservation

§  Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All (UJALA)

·         UJALA was launched in 2015 programme to provide LED bulbs to domestic consumers for replacement of incandescent bulbs at an affordable price.

·         It is the world’s largest lighting replacement programme.

·         Till December 2021, over 36.78 crore LED bulbs, 71 lakh LED tube lights and 23 lakh energy effi cient fans were distributed by Energy Effi ciency Services Ltd (EESL) across the country.

·         This has resulted in estimated energy savings of 47.07 billion kWh per year with avoided peak demand of 9,570 MW and GHG emission reduction of 39 million t CO2 per year.

 

§  Street Lighting National Programme

·         Street Lighting National Programme(SLNP) was launched in 2015 to replace conventional street lights with smart and energy effi cient LED street lights.

·         Till December, 2021, the replacement has resulted in estimated energy savings of 8.24 billion kWh per year with avoided peak demand of 1,374 MW.

 

Reform Initiatives

§  Real Time Market

·         Government introduced pan India Real Time Market (RTM) of electricity in 2020.

·         The introduction of RTM, has facilitated grid integration of renewable and brought greater market effi ciency.

·         RTM is benefi tting all stakeholders viz., generators including renewable generators having opportunity to sell their surpluses, better management of variability of renewable generation, better utilization of transmission systems, opportunity for

 

·         distribution utilities to buy or sell power closer to real time and fi nally consumer getting reliable power supply

 

§  Security Constrained Economic Dispatch

·         It aims to reduce the cost of power procured by the distribution licensees, which in result maximized the plant with lowest variable cost.

·         The SCED has been introduced for Inter State Generating Stations (ISGS) and all willing generators pan India including generating stations with part tied up capacity, merchant generators and intrastate generators.

 

§  Go Electric Campaign

·         Ministry of Power launched a nation-wide Go Electric Campaign in 2021.

·         It was launched 

·         to educate the general public on the benefi ts of e-mobility 

·         inform the potential Electric Vehicle (EV) owners about the incentives for EV adoption 

·         generate curiosity and transform the same into demand  discredit misinformation against such vehicles 

·         bring together multiple stakeholders under single platform

 

§  Privatisation of Power Departments/Utilities

·         Government announced privatisation of power departments and utilities in UTs under Aatma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan.

 

Aatma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan

§  Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan or Self-reliant India campaign was launched on 12 May 2020.

§  The aim is to make the country and its citizens independent and self-reliant in all senses.

§  Self-Reliant India has fi ve pillars:

Ø  Economy

Ø  Infrastructure

Ø  Systems

Ø  Demography

Ø  Demand

 

·         The decision is guided by sub optimal performance of power distribution utilities.

·         Ministry of Power has actively engaged with UTs and is providing necessary hand holding support.

 

§  Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana

·         The scheme was launched in order to provide clean cooking fuel to poor households especially in rural areas.

·         It provides deposit free LPG connections to 8 crore women belonging to the Below Poverty Line (BPL) households.

·         The primary objective is to provide access to clean cooking fuel LPG to BPL households to protect their health by reducing the serious health hazards associated with use of conventional cooking fuels such as fi rewood, coal, cowdung, etc., which causes severe indoor household air pollution.

·         So far, more than 5.55 crore BPL families have been benefi tted by this scheme.

·         The eligible families are identifi ed through Socio-Economic Caste Census list and other seven categories, i.e., benefi ciaries of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY-Gramin); benefi ciaries of Antyodaya Anna Yojana; SC/ST households; most backward classes; forest dwellers; tea/ex-tea garden tribes; and residents.

·         It was launched in 2016 with an initial target of providing 5 crore and subsequently revised to 8 crore deposit free LPG connections to adult women of poor households to ensure women empowerment, especially in rural India.

 

§  PAHAL

·         The government introduced well targeted systems of subsidy delivery to LPG consumers through PAHAL.

·         This initiative was aimed at rationalising subsidies based on an approach to cut subsidy leakages, but not subsidies per se.

·         Applicable subsidy is directly transferred into the bank account of the benefi ciaries.

·          PAHAL has entered into Guinness Book of World Records as being the largest Direct Benefit Transfer scheme.

 

Petroleum and Natural Gas

Ø  The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas is concerned with exploration and production of oil and natural gas (including import of liquefi ed natural gas), refining, distribution and marketing, import, export and conservation of petroleum products.

Ø  India has become the 3rd largest energy consumer in the world after China and USA.

Ø  Oil and gas accounted for around 35 per cent share in India’s energy consumption.

 

§  Production of Crude Oil and Natural Gas

·         The crude oil production for 2020-21 (April to Dec’20) was 22.98 million metric tonnes (MMT).

·         Natural gas production during the same period was 31.18 billion cubic meters (BCM).

 

§  Refining Capacity

·         Indian refinery industry is fourth largest refi ner in the world and second largest refi ner in Asia after China.

 

§  Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana

·         The Scheme was started for providing free of cost LPG cylinders for three months to PMUY benefi ciaries.

·         It was started from April, 2020 under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package (PMGKP).

 

§  Make in India

·         The policy aims to encourage participation of domestic and overseas players in the domestic oil and gas sector, create employment opportunities, help higher value addition in the products

·         manufactured in the country and services rendered for the oil and gas sector and reduce dependence on imports.

 

§  Sahaj

·         Sahaj was a digital initiative launched by oil marketing companies for release of LPG connection with online payment and issuance of ‘e-SV’ under the Digital India initiative and the facility is now available on pan-India basis.

 

§  Direct Benefit Transfer of Kerosene

·         In order to insulate the common man from the impact of rise in international oil prices, the government modulated the retail selling prices of Public Distribution Systyem (PDS) Kerosene.

·         Effective from, 1st Oct, 2016, Direct Benefi t Transfer in PDS Kerosene Scheme 2016 (DBTK) was implemented in 4 districts in Jharkhand.

·         So far, 13 states/ UTs (Karnataka, Haryana, Telangana, Nagaland, Chandigarh, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Goa, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh) have availed ‘Cash incentive for voluntary cut in kerosene allocation’ scheme.

 

§  AtmaNirbhar in the Energy Sector

§  Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) is working to achieve reduction in import dependency on oil.

§  The import reduction strategy broadly includes: 

§   increasing domestic production of oil and gas 

§  improving energy effi ciency and productivity 

§  giving thrust on demand substitution 

§   promoting biofuels 

§  alternate fuels/renewables.

 

§  Pricing of Petroleum Products

·         The Administered Pricing Mechanism (APM) or cost plus pricing for petroleum products which was introduced in 1976 was abolished from 2002, consequent to the de-regulation of the oil sector in India.

·         The government notifi ed that pricing of all petroleum products except PDS kerosene and domestic LPG would be market determined.

 

§  Energy Diplomacy

·         India is the 3rd largest consumer of energy resources in the world, next only to USA and China.

·         It is also the 3rd largest importer of crude oil and 4th largest importer of LNG in the world. Y

·         Dependency on imported crude oil and natural gas was 85 per cent and 53 per cent respectively for the year 2019-20. The high dependency on imports and over-reliance on the Middle-East and OPEC has signifi cant implications on the energy security.

·         Towards strengthening energy security, India’s energy diplomacy is focused on sustaining and promoting energy engagements with countries rich in hydrocarbon resources and also with prominent international organisations dealing with energy matters.

·         Through India’s energy diplomacy, the energy cooperation has been strengthened by elevating from mere buyer-seller to the level of strategic partners.

·         Both Saudi Arabia and UAE are partners in the strategic petroleum reserve programme.

 

§  EBP Programme

·         Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme aims at achieving multiple outcomes such as addressing environmental concerns, reducing import dependency and providing boost to agriculture sector.

 

Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP)

·         Ethanol is an agro-based product, mainly produced from a by-product of the sugar industry, namely molasses.

·         The Ethanol Blending Programme (EBP) seeks to achieve blending of Ethanol with motor sprit (Petrol) with a view to reducing pollution, conserve foreign exchange and increase value addition in the sugar industry enabling them to clear cane price arrears of farmers.

·         The Central Government has scaled up blending targets from 5% to 10% under the Ethanol Blending Programme (EBP).

 

·         Government has taken many steps including: 

·         re-introduction of administered price mechanism 

·         permitting additional feedstock sources for ethanol production 

·         amending Industries (Development & Regulation) Act, 1951 for bringing exclusive control of the central government over denatured ethanol 

·         reduction in Goods & Service Tax (GST) rates from 18 per cent to 5 per cent on ethanol utilized under EBP Programme

·         notifying National Policy on Biofuels-2018 with an indicative target of 20 per cent ethanol blending by 2030 

·          an Interest Subvention Scheme for augmentation of ethanol production capacity.

·          Presently, 14 states have already implemented the IDR Act amendment.

 

§  International Organisations

·         India has been persistently elevating the engagement with prominent International organisations (OPEC, lEA, IEF) through interaction on regular basis at ministerial levels including forums like Asian Ministerial Energy Roundtable, G20, etc.

·         India and OPEC share great complementarity—for India, OPEC is the largest supplier of crude oil and LPG, while India is the world’s 3rd largest importer of oil.

·         OPEC is an extremely important partner for India.

 

OPEC

·         The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is a permanent, intergovernmental Organization, created at the Baghdad Conference on September 10–14,

·         1960, by Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela.

·         The five Founding Members were later joined by: Qatar (1961) – terminated its membership in January 2019; Indonesia (1962) – suspended its membership in January 2009, reactivated it in January 2016, but decided to suspend it again in November 2016; Libya (1962); United Arab Emirates (1967); Algeria (1969); Nigeria (1971); Ecuador (1973) – suspended its membership in December 1992, reactivated it in October 2007, but decided to withdraw its membership effective 1 January 2020; Angola (2007); Gabon (1975) - terminated its membership in January 1995 but rejoined in July 2016; Equatorial Guinea (2017); and Congo (2018).

·         OPEC had its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, in the fi rst fi ve years of its existence.

·         This was moved to Vienna, Austria, on September 1, 1965.

·         OPECs objective is to coordinate and unify petroleum policies among Member Countries, to secure fair and stable prices for petroleum producers; an effi cient, economic, and regular supply of petroleum to consuming nations; and a fair return on capital to those investing in the industry.

 

 

·         India is working to become a gas-based economy by increasing the share of natural gas in energy mix from 6.3 per cent to 15 per cent by 2030.

 

§  Strategic Petroleum Reserves

·         Government of India, through Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserve Ltd. (ISPRL), has set up Strategic Petroleum Reserves (SPR) at three locations with a capacity of 5.33 MMT located at Visakhapatnam, Mangaluru and Padur.

 

Strategic Petroleum Reserves (SPR)

·         Strategic petroleum reserves are huge stockpiles of crude oil to deal with any crude oil-related crisis like the risk of supply disruption from natural disasters, war or other calamities.

·          

·          

·         The crude oil stored can be used in emergency situations.

·         These three SPRs can meet approximately 9.5 days of national demand.

·         Ministry is also exploring possibility to lease SPRs outside India and USA is one of the options being considered.

 

§  Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited

·         Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) is a mega Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) with ‘Maharatna’ status.

·         It has two refi neries: one in Mumbai (west coast) having a capacity of 6.5 MMTPA and the other in Visakhapatnam (east coast) with a capacity of 8.3 MMTPA.

·          HPCL holds an equity stake of 16.95 per cent in Mangalore Refi nery and Petrochemicals Limited, a state-of-art refi nery at Mangalore with a capacity of 9.69 MMTPA.

·          HPCL has state-of-the-art information technology infrastructure to support its core business.

·          The data centre is located in Hyderabad.

 

§  Gas Authority of India Limited

·         The setting up of Gail (India) Limited, formerly known as Gas Authority of India Limited in 1984 heralded a new era of natural gas in the country.

·         GAIL has set up LNG import infrastructure and is focusing on areas like city gas distribution, petrochemicals business, diversifying into high margin downstream areas in gas value chain and creating a portfolio of renewable business.

 

§  Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited

·         Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) is an integrated oil company, in the downstream sector, engaged in refi ning of crude oil and marketing of petroleum products.

·         BPCL has refi neries at Mumbai and Kochi with a combined refi ning capacity of 21.5 MMTPA. Both the refi neries are certifi ed under Integrated Management System (IMS).

·         BPCL has a robust distribution network comprising major storage installations and depots: LPG bottling plants, 1938 km cross-country pipeline and two lubricant blending plants.

 

 

Integrated Management System (IMS)

·         It aims for a unifi ed approach in processes, interfaces, structures and documentation systems by combining the individual management systems under ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 refl ecting the continuing commitment towards quality, environment, health and safety.

 

§  Bharat Petro Resources Limited

·         Bharat Petro Resources Limited (BPRL) was formed in 2006.

·         It is a wholly owned subsidiary and Exploration and Production (E&P) arm of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL).

·         While BPCL is engaged in the midstream and downstream segment in India, BPRL carries out upstream activities both in India and overseas.

 

§  Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC)

·         This is engaged in exploration and production of crude oil, natural gas and value added products.

·         ONGC was incorporated in 1993 under Companies Act, 1956.

·         It was formed in pursuant to government’s decision to transform the statutory commission into a Public Limited Company, through an Act of Parliament [Oil and Natural Gas Commission (Transfer of Undertaking and Repeal, Act, 1993)].

 

§  ONGC Videsh Limited

·         ONGC Videsh Limited (OVL), is engaged in exploration and production of oil and gas outside India.

·         OVL was incorporated as Hydrocarbons India Limited in 1965 to perform international exploration and production business.

·         The company was rechristened as ONGC Videsh Limited from 1989.

·          Currently, OVL has oil and gas production from 10 projects in eight countries, namely, Russia (Sakhalin-1 and Imperial Energy); Syria (Al-Furat Petroleum Co.); Vietnam (Block 06.1); Colombia (MECL); Sudan (Greater Nile Petroleum Operating Company); South Sudan (Greater Pioneer Operating Company and Sudd Petroleum Operating Company); Venezuela (San Cristobal); and Brazil (BC-10).

·          There are fi ve projects where hydrocarbons have been discovered and are at various stages of development.

 

§  Oil India Limited

·         In 1959, Oil India Private Limited was incorporated to expand and develop the newly discovered oil fi elds of Naharkatia and Moran in Assam.

·         In 1961, it became a joint venture company between the Indian government and Burmah Oil Company Limited, UK.

·         In 1981, OIL India Pvt. Ltd. became a wholly-owned Government of India enterprise.

·         In-country operational areas are spread over Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Puducherry, Andaman and Rajasthan.

·         OIL has presence in nine countries, viz., Venezuela, Libya, Gabon, Iran, Nigeria, Yemen, Sudan, Timor-Leste and Egypt, pursuing various activities.

 

§  New and Renewable Energy

·         Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) is the nodal Ministry at the federal level for all matters relating to new and renewable energy.

·         In 1982, a separate Department of Non-Conventional Energy Sources (DNES) was created in the Ministry of Energy to look after all the aspects relating to New and Renewable Energy.

·         The Department was upgraded into a separate Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy Sources (MNES) in 1992 and was re-named as Ministry of New and ReneWable Energy (MNRE), in 2006.

 

§  Indian Scenario

·         India has achieved a cumulative installed renewable energy capacity (excluding large hydro) of 92.54 GW.

·         During the period from April 2014 to January 2021, the installed RE capacity of India has increased by two-and-half times, and in the same period, the installed solar energy capacity has increased 15 times.

·         Globally, today India stands 4th in RE power capacity, 4th in Wind power, and 5th in Solar Power capacity.

 

§  Drivers for Development

·         At present around 69.5 per cent of India’s power generation capacity is based on coal.

·         In addition, there is an increasing dependence on imported oil, which is leading to imports of around 33 per cent of India’s total energy needs.

·         India is still not in a position to meet its peak electricity demand as well as energy requirement.

·         The peak power defi cit during financial year 2001-02 was 12.2 per cent, approximately 9,252 MW, however, at the end of 2014-15, the peak power defi cit decreased to the order of 2.4 per cent.

·         As a fallout of this situation, planned and un-planned measures were undertaken by the government and utilities to bridge this demand-supply gap.

·         India has taken a voluntary commitment of reducing emission intensity of its GDP by 33-35 per cent from 2005 levels by 2030.

·         In the 21st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) held at Paris, France, India committed to achieve about 40 per cent cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel based energy resources by 2030 with the help of transfer of technology and low cost international fi nance including Green Climate Fund (GCF).

 

§  Renewable Energy Potential

·         India has an estimated renewable energy potential of about 900 GW from commercially exploitable sources, viz., wind - 102 GW (at 80 metre mast height); small hydro - 20 GW; bioenergy - 25 GW; and 750 GW solar power.

·         The Ministry had taken up a new initiative in 2014 for implementation of wind resource assessment under the National Clean Energy Fund (NCEF).

 

National Clean Energy Fund (NCEF)

·         The National Clean Energy Fund (NCEF) is a fund created in 2010-11 using the carbon tax - clean energy cess - for funding research and innovative projects in clean energy technologies of public sector or private sector entities, upto the extent of 40% of the total project cost.

·         Its purpose is financing and promoting clean energy initiatives, funding research in the area of clean energy.

 

·         National Institute of Wind Energy has used advanced modelling techniques and revised the estimate of the wind power potential at 100 metre at 302 GW.

·         The National Institute of Wind Energy (NIWE), formerly known as Centre for Wind Energy Technology, has developed the Wind Atlas of India.

·         NIWE also collects data from Solar Radiation Resource Assessment stations to assess and quantify solar radiation availability and develop Solar Atlas of the country.

·         National Institute of Solar Energy has assessed the state-wise solar potential by taking 3 per cent of the wasteland area to be covered by Solar PV modules.

·         The Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru has developed Biomass Atlas of India, and the Alternate Hydro Energy Centre, Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee has assessed small hydro potential in the country.

 

Major Ongoing Schemes

§  Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha Evam Utthan Mahabhiyan (PM -KUSUM)

·         PM-KUSUM scheme is one of the largest initiatives in the world to provide clean energy to more than 3.5 million farmers by solarising their agriculture pumps.

Ø  Aims:

·         Component A - to install grid connected ground mounted solar power plants (up to 2 MW) aggregating to a total capacity of 10 GW under

·         Component B - to install 20  lakh standalone solar pumps

·         Component C – to solarise 15 lakh grid connected agricultural pumps.

 

§  Roof Top Solar (RTS) Programme

·         Rooftop Phase-I of this programme was launched in 2015 in which incentives and subsidies were provided for residential, institutional and social sectors.

·         For government sector, achievement linked incentives were also provided.

·         Rooftop Phase-II was launched in February 2019 with a target of achieving cumulative capacity of 40,000 MW by 2022.

 

§  Solar Parks

·         The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy introduced the Solar Parks programme with the objective of facilitating solar project developers to set up projects in a plug-and-play model.

·         The scheme for development of solar parks has a target capacity of 40 GW.

·         All states and union territories are eligible for getting benefi t under it.

·         Such parks are being developed by agencies of central/state governments, joint ventures between agencies of centre and states and also by private entrepreneurs.

 

§  Green Energy Corridors

·         To facilitate evacuation of electricity from RE projects, Green Energy Corridor scheme was launched in 2015 for setting up of transmission and evacuation infrastructure.

·         The Inter-State Transmission System (ISIS) component consisting of 3200 km transmission lines and 17,000 MVA substations has been completed in March 2020.

 

§  Solar Cities

·         At least one city, (either the state capital city or a well-known tourist destination) in each of the states of the country is being developed as a solar city.

·         All electricity needs of the city will be fully met from RE sources, primarily from solar energy.

·         All houses in the solar city will have roof-top solar energy plants.

·         Every solar city will also have solar street lights and waste to energy plants among others.

·         The balance of energy needs will be met by ground mounted solar plants.

 

§  Renewable Purchase Obligations

·         Uniform Renewable Purchase Obligations (RPO) have been introduced wherein all electricity distribution licensees have to purchase or produce a specifi ed minimum quantity of their total requirements from Renewable Energy Sources.

 

§  Waiver of Inter State Transmission System Charges

·         Inter State Transmission System Charges and losses for inter-state sale of power from solar and wind power projects have been waived for all projects to be commissioned up to June 2023.

 

§  One Sun One World One Grid

·         One Sun One World One Grid (OSOWOG) is a transnational electricity grid supplying solar power across the globe in order to make use of availability of sunshine in different neighbouring countries at different times.

·         A tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the International Solar Alliance (ISA), the Government of India, and the World Bank was signed in 2020 to implement the OSOWOG initiative.

 

§  Hydrogen Energy Mission

·         The Mission is to enable cost competitive green hydrogen production, storage, distribution and application technologies; developing globally competitive manufacturing expertise; and putting in place regulations, codes, safety, performance and quality standards in consonance with technology and market development stages.

 

§  Off-shore Wind

·         Off-shore wind in India has a potential of approximately 70 GW mainly off-Tamil Nadu and Gujarat coasts.

·         Eight zones each in Gujarat and Tamil Nadu have been identifi ed as potential off- shore zones.

·          Measurement of wind resources through Li DAR at Gulf of Khambat off- Gujarat coasts, survey of subsea surface and soil pro le, Geo-physical survey of 365 sq kms of area (required for a 1.0 GW project) and geo technical studies have been carried out.

 

§  Renewable Energy for Rural Applications

·         The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) is implementing and supporting Biogas Schemes for dissemination and deployment of biogas plants in remote, rural and semi-urban areas of the country.

·         Biogas production is based on the anaerobic digestion of organic wastes/materials.

·         The biogas plant digested slurry contains enriched organic Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potash (NPK) and also other major plant micronutrients free from weed seeds, smell and pathogens.

 

§  New National Biogas and Organic Manure Programme

Ø  Objective

·         to provide clean cooking fuel

·         to meet lighting, thermal and small power needs of farmers/dairy farmers/users including individual households

·         to improve organic manure system based on bioslurry from biogas plants in rural and semi-urban areas by setting up of biogas plants.

 

§  Significance

·         It is helpful in mitigating hardship of rural women.

·         It saves time and energy of rural people, which can be used for other livelihood activities.

·         It also reduces pressure on forests and improves sanitation in rural and semi-urban areas.

 

§  National Solar Mission

·         Launched in January 2010, the National Solar Mission (NSM) was the fi rst mission to be operationalised under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC).

 

§  Objective

·         To make India as a global leader in solar energy, by creating the policy conditions for solar technology diffusion across the country as quickly as possible.

 

§  Coal

·         The Ministry of Coal (MoC) has the overall responsibility of determining policies and strategies in respect of exploration and development of coal and lignite reserves, sanctioning of important projects of high value and for deciding all related issues.

·         These key functions are exercised through its public sector undertakings, namely Coal India Limited (CIL) and Neyveli Lignite Corporation Limited (NLC) and Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL), a joint sector undertaking of Government of Telangana and Government of India with equity capital in the ratio of 51:49.

 

§  Coal Reserves

·         About 344.02 billion tonnes of coal reserves have been estimated by the Geological Survey of India as in April 2020.

·         The reserves have been found mainly in Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana and Maharashtra.

 

§  Lignite Reserves

·         The lignite reserves have been estimated at around 46.02 billion tonnes.

·         The major deposits are located in Tamil Nadu, followed by Rajasthan, Gujarat, Kerala, West Bengal and union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Puducherry.

 

§  Coal Production

·         During this period the actual production was 729.10 MT compared to 728.72 MT during corresponding period of previous year showing a growth of 0.05 per cent.

 

§  Coal India Limited

·         Coal India Limited (CIL) is a ‘Maharatna’ company under the Ministry of Coal, with headquarters at Kolkata, West Bengal.

·         CIL is the single largest coal producing company in the world.

·         CIL operates through 82 mining areas spread over eight provincial states of India.

·         CIL is the apex body in coal industry under the administrative control of the Ministry of Coal.

 

§  Neyveli Lignite Corporation Limited

·         Neyveli Lignite Corporation Limited (NLC) was registered as a company in November 1956.

·         The mining operations in Mine-I were formally inaugurated in 1957.

·         Neyveli Lignite Corporation has been conferred with ‘Navratna’ status since 2011.

·         All the mines of NLC are ISO certifi ed for quality management system, environmental management system and occupational health and safety management system.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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