MNRE Confident in Surpassing 500 GW Renewable Energy Goal Despite Land Acquisition Hurdles

Chennai, Oct 24 (KNN) Officials from the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) expressed optimism that India will exceed its ambitious target of achieving 500 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030, including 100 GW from wind energy.

This was announced during the Windergy India 2024 conference held in Chennai on Wednesday, even as industry leaders highlighted land acquisition as a major obstacle for wind energy expansion.

“We have crossed 200 GW of renewable energy capacity, currently standing at 210 GW. With 160 GW under installation and another 100 GW in the tendering stage, we are confident of surpassing the 2030 target,” said Sudeep Jain, Additional Secretary, MNRE.

India is already the world’s fourth-largest country in terms of installed wind capacity. However, industry leaders underscored the need for consistent growth in installations.

Girish Tanti, Vice-Chairman of Suzlon and Chair of the Global Wind Energy Council India, stated, “While we installed only 2.8 GW of wind capacity last year, this year we aim to add 4.5 to 5 GW. To meet the 2030 target, annual installations need to steadily increase to around 10 GW.”

Despite the optimism, land acquisition was identified as a key bottleneck for wind energy projects. “Land development and approvals are significant challenges. There is scope for streamlining these processes to accelerate installations,” Tanti added.

Monika Rathi, Country Head of Vena Energy, suggested that the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) could explore the creation of wind parks, similar to solar parks, in collaboration with states and the central government to identify suitable land parcels.

Amit Kansal, CEO of Senvion India, emphasised the importance of Centre-State dialogue on land issues, noting, “We need to chart out where the remaining 50 GW of wind projects will be located over the next six years.”

Lalit Bohra, Joint Secretary at MNRE, acknowledged the challenges, stating that coordination with state governments is ongoing. “Land remains a major hurdle, and we are working closely with states to secure required parcels,” he said.

Bohra also announced that MNRE is planning a ‘chintan shivir’ (brainstorming session) later this year to address the bottlenecks hindering the achievement of the 500 GW target.

The event concluded with calls for enhanced cooperation between the Centre and states to overcome land-related barriers and unlock India’s full potential in wind energy development.

(KNN Bureau)