An Exploratory Study of Renewable Power Sector in India

Indian power generation sector has increased by 40% from 199 GW in FY12 to over 327 GW in FY17 to become the fifth largest power generation sector globally. India‘s power transmission network has also grown in sync with the generation sector to enable the evacuation of additional power produced. Renewable power has played a pivoted role in this expansion with its increased contribution in the overall generation mix from 24.5 GW in FY12 to over 57.3 GW in FY17. This paper discusses several drivers such as government’s renewable power targets, Central and state-level incentives, declining technology costs and facilitating sale of renewable power along with others that continue to outpace the barriers prevalent around poor financial condition of State Electricity Boards, challenges in renewable integration, concerns regarding sustainability of low renewable power tariffs and non-enforcement of renewable purchase obligations. The paper also an outlook of the overall renewable as well as solar and wind technology space.

Keywords

Renewable power; Energy targets; Technology costs; Power tariffs

Amrutha, A.A., Balachandra, P., & Mathirajan, M. (2017). Role of targeted policies in mainstreaming renewable energy in a resource constrained electricity system: A case study of Karnataka electricity system in India. Energy Policy, 106, 48-58.

Chandel, S.S., Shrivastva, R., Sharma, V. & Ramasamy, P. (2016). Overview of the initiatives in renewable energy sector under the national action plan on climate change in India. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 54, 866-873.

Draft National Electricity Plan Volume I. (2016, December). Retrieved from http://www.cea.nic.in/reports/committee/nep/nep_dec.pdf

Dudhani, S., Sinha, A.K., & Inamdar, S.S. (2006). Renewable energy sources for peak load demand management in India. International Journal of Electrical Power & Energy Systems, 28(6), 396-400.

Growth in Transmission Sector. (2017, March). Retrieved from http://powermin.nic.in/ sites/default/files/uploads/Growth_in_Transmission_sector_IRTC_English.pdf

Jolly, S., & Raven, R.P.J.M. (2015). Collective institutional entrepreneurship and contestations in wind energy in India. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 42, 999-1011.

Kapoor, K., Pandey, K.K., Jain, A.K., & Nandan, A. (2014). Evolution of solar energy in India: A review. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 40, 475-487.

Khare, V., Nema, S. & Baredar, P. (2013). Status of solar wind renewable energy in India. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 27, 1-10.

Kroeze, C., Vlasblom, J., Gupta, J., Boudri, C., & Blok, K. (2004). The power sector in China and India: Greenhouse gas emissions reduction potential and scenarios for 1990-2020. Energy Policy, 32(1), 55-76.

Luthra, S., Kumar, S., Garg, D. & Haleem, A. (2015). Barriers to renewable/sustainable energy technologies adoption: Indian perspective. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 41, 762-776.

Mani, S., & Dhingra, T. (2013). Offshore wind energy policy for India - Key factors to be considered. Energy Policy, 56, 672-683.

Nagamani, C., Ilango, G.S., Reddy, M., Rani, M. & Lakaparampil, Z.V. (2015). Renewable power generation Indian scenario: A review. Journal Electric Power Components and Systems, 43(8-10), 1205-1213.

Nouni, M.R., Mullick, S.C., & Kandpal, T.C. (2008). Providing electricity access to remote areas in India: An approach towards identifying potential areas for decentralized electricity supply. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 12(5), 1187-1220.

Pandey, S., Singh, V.S., Gangwar, N.P., Vijayvergia, M.M., Prakash, C., Pandey, & D.N. (2012). Determinants of success for promoting solar energy in Rajasthan, India. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 16(6), 3593-3598.

Schmid, G. (2012). The development of renewable energy power in India: Which policies have been effective?. Energy Policy, 45, 317-326.

Sen, S., Ganguly, S., Das, A., Sen, J., & Dey, S. (2016). Renewable energy scenario in India: Opportunities and challenges. Journal of African Earth Sciences, 122, 25-31.

Singh, A. (2009). A market for renewable energy credits in the Indian power sector. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 13(3), 643-652.

Singh, R., Sood, Y.R. (2011). Current status and analysis of renewable promotional policies in Indian restructured power sector - A review. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 15(1), 657-664.

Twelfth Five Year Plan, Economic Sectors, Volume II. (2013). Retrieved from http://planningcommission.gov.in/plans/planrel/12thplan/pdf/12fyp_vol2.pdf