NEW DELHI: State-run coal companies are seeking a larger role in non-fossil energy. These firms have set a target of achieving 9 giga watt (GW) of renewable energy capacity by the year 2030, a major part of which solar energy.
The move is expected to give a significant push to the nation’s plan increase the share of non-fossil fuels in the energy mix and meet the target of net-zero by 2070, according to government sources.
Currently, the combined solar energy capacity of the major state-run coal public sector enterprises – Coal India, NLC India, and SCCL stands at 1.7 GW, with an additional 51 MW obtained from wind mills.
The government has further issued directives to coal companies to accelerate the adoption of solar energy solutions including installation of rooftop solar panels on all government buildings and the establishment of solar projects in de-coaled areas and other suitable lands in order to minimise the carbon footprints of mining.
“As a result, the project is poised to catalyse economic growth and job creation, driving India’s transition towards a green economy,” the government said.
The coal ministry has set an ambitious net-zero electricity consumption plan for coal and lignite public sector undertakings and is actively promoting the deployment of both rooftop solar and ground-mounted solar projects across its mining facilities.
Furthermore, plans are underway to develop solar parks within the reclaimed mining areas as well as other suitable lands, leveraging underutilized land resources for sustainable energy generation. “This strategic initiative is aligned with the government’s updated NDC (Nationally Determined Contributions) target to achieve 50% cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel-based energy resources by 2030,” the government said.
Coal India had earlier announced its plans to set up 3 GW of solar energy capacity by 2025-26 with plans of adding another 2 GW of RE capacity. “These would be set up in CIL’s land and outside on pan India participation. We are targeting 320 MW capacity this fiscal followed by 1422 MW and 1158 MW respectively in subsequent two fiscal years,” the company’s Chairman P.M. Prasad had earlier told FE in an interview. “We are looking at an investment of about Rs 16,500 crore on these projects at a ballpark figure of Rs 5.5 crore per MW.”
NLC India, too, aims to achieve 6 GW of RE capacity by 2030 and plans to spend Rs 22,000 crore in the segment, the company had earlier told FE.
NLC will set up more than 1 GW of renewable energy power capacities in Rajasthan and Gujarat in the financial year 2024-25 and intends to expand its floating solar projects to the water bodies around Neyveli area and other power houses in the next four to five years, CMD M Prasanna Kumar had said.
Source: The Financial Express