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Solar capacity in India cracks 2 GW barrier

Muenster, Germany

Figures from the Indian Ministry for New and Renewable Energy (MRNE) reveal an increase in the added grid-connected solar capacity in August of 130 megawatts (MW). This uptick was preceded by a relatively minimal added capacity increase in the previous months. As of the end of August, the solar energy had reached an installed capacity of 284 MW for the fiscal year 2013/2014, around a fourth of the yearly target of 1,100 MW. At that point in time, the total grid-connected solar capacity had reached 1,969 MW while the off-grid capacity amounted to 131 MW.

PV expansion way off course to reach targets Despite the increase reported in August, the installed PV capacity in India is lagging far behind the national expansion targets formulated in the National Solar Mission, NSM, which sets a goal of attaining a total installed grid-connected capacity of 20 GW and an off-grid share of two GW by 2022. In order to achieve the given targets the grid-connected segment must grow ten-fold while the off-grid systems must increase by a factor of 15.

Solar growth hampered by uncertain subsidy policy At the moment the total share of grid-connected PV modules account for seven percent of renewable electricity production, which pales in comparison to the nearly two-thirds or 20,000 MW that is provided by the wind energy sector. The first phase of the national solar subsidy program, Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM), expired in February of the current year, which practically cut off the funding for many solar projects in the pipeline. A potential continuation of the second phase of the subsidy program is at the moment shrouded in uncertainty, which only further jeopardizes any hope of reaching the current solar targets.



Source: IWR Online, 24 Oct 2013

 


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