Renewable energy sources account for roughly 10 per cent of the total installed grid power in India. Largely driven by the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC), the renewable energy sector in the country is poised to take off with about 30,000 MW planned to be added by 2015. 

Wind power has been the frontrunner, constituting almost 70 per cent of the total renewable installed capacity in the country. The sector has been adding between 1,500 MW and 1,700 MW over the past four years and this is expected to increase to 2,000-2,500 MW in the coming years. 

The launch of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM), which targets 20,000 MW of solar power capacity by 2020, has made India one of the fastest growing solar markets in the world. Of the first-phase target of 1,000 MW of grid-connected capacity, projects worth 650 MW have already been selected and paperwork is on to get these off the ground. Off-grid solar, which holds immense potential in the country, has picked up under the JNNSM as well. The government has already approved 29 projects of 19.7 MW of the targeted 200 MW in the first phase. 

Meanwhile, biomass energy continues to meet both captive and grid-power needs incrementally. With proper policy support, it has an important role in strengthening the tail-end of the distribution network of the country. Small hydro continues to struggle with local issues and needs an urgent policy rethink so that its potential, especially in rural electrification, can be tapped fully. On the policy and regulation front, renewable energy certificates (RECs), which were launched recently, are expected to provide a fresh impetus to the sector. According to the CERC, 10 to 25 per cent of the 4,000 MW of renewable capacity expected to be added in 2010-11 is likely to participate in RECs. Most states have notified their REC regulations and are putting in operation the processes required to start REC trading. 

However, challenges abound. Local permits and land acquisition remain a bottleneck for many projects. There is an urgent need for capacity expansion in the manufacturing, services, project development, financing and operations segments. Longer tenor, low-cost debt, along with the infusion of greater equity funds into the renewable energy space also needs attention to help the renewable sector take off in a significant way. 

The mission of t  his conference is t  o provide a forum for showcasing government and industry initiatives in various aspects of renewable energy. The conference will also provide an update on various government plans and programmes. It will highlight new opportunities in the sector along with the challenges faced by various players and the likely way forward.