Gujarat bets big on diversified renewables, adds nearly 2GW in April

Ahmedabad: Gujarat added nearly 2GW of fresh renewable energy capacity in April, solidifying its position as India’s top renewable energy-producing state. Latest data from the Union ministry of new and renewable energy (MNRE) showed Gujarat’s cumulative renewable energy capacity rising to 49,115MW from around 47,178MW in the previous month.This means fresh capacity of 1,937MW was added within a month. In comparison, Rajasthan’s total renewable energy capacity stood at 47,754.45MW.Experts say the sharp rise indicates continued commissioning of large-scale solar and wind projects across the state, along with steady growth in rooftop solar installations and hybrid renewable projects. “In both solar and wind segments, Gujarat has added substantial capacity, both in park and non-park projects, due to the aggressive focus of the govt,” said Shalini Aggarwal, managing director of Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Limited (GUVNL). “We are seeing strong momentum not only in utility-scale renewable projects but also on the consumer side, with several fresh applications under rooftop solar initiatives.”Despite Gujarat’s overall lead in renewable energy capacity, Rajasthan continues to dominate in solar power alone. Rajasthan’s installed solar capacity stood at 41,685.53MW in April, well-ahead of Gujarat’s 31,099.99MW.Gujarat’s strength lies in its diversified renewable energy mix, particularly its sizeable wind energy base, which has helped the state overtake Rajasthan in total clean energy capacity despite trailing in solar installations.In fact, the state has also made substantial progress under the PM Kusum scheme, enabling farmers and rural consumers to become power producers.“People are earning substantial amounts through these projects. Agriculture has played a very important role because Gujarat has taken a lead in supplying daytime electricity to farmers. Nearly 99% of agricultural power is now supplied during daytime, supported by substantial solar energy generation,” Aggarwal said.Over and above production-linked incentives, the state’s policy has recently introduced measures for boosting demand as well.“From May 1, residential consumers in Gujarat using electricity during designated solar hours are eligible for a rebate of 60 paise per unit under the revised time-of-use tariff structure. Similar incentives have also been introduced for industrial consumers to encourage daytime power consumption aligned with solar generation. Consumers with rooftop solar installations have also seen a significant reduction in electricity bills,” a source told TOI.Gujarat will soon come up with a firm and dispatchable renewable energy (FDRE) tender. Currently, it is focusing on battery energy storage systems (BESS) and pumped storage projects alongside renewable generation. “Because of this diversified energy basket and substantial renewable integration, Gujarat did not face any major issues in meeting peak power demand even during the West Asia crisis, and our dependence on gas-based power stations reduced considerably during peak summer months,” she said.