Renewable energy policy to boost clean energy usage

Panaji: State govt will soon introduce the Goa State Renewable Energy Policy to accelerate the adoption of clean energy alternatives and decarbonise the energy sector. This includes both grid-based clean electricity consumption and the reduction of fossil fuel-based consumption. Govt aims to encourage more private sector investment in the field of green energy.

The policy will focus on harnessing the clean energy potential of the state and making the best use of the available resources by facilitating the development of green energy projects in the state. It aims to attract investment in the clean energy sector, create job opportunities, develop the state economy, and provide access to reliable and sustainable solar energy in Goa.

State govt wants a conducive environment for private sector investment in the field of solar energy generation and storage. It seeks to encourage private sector participation and provide investment opportunities for the deployment of solar energy.

State govt published the Goa State Solar Policy-2017 and subsequently amended it in 2019 with additional incentives for rooftop solar installations. The policy provides a framework for the development of solar power projects in the state. Since the notification of the Solar Power Policy, there have been significant technological developments in the field of solar power generation, as well as other new and renewable energy sources, and the costs associated with the installation of solar power projects, govt said.

Goa has a consumer base of 7.25 lakh, out of which around 6 lakh consumers are domestic/residential, consuming 30% of the total power requirement of the state. Around 50% of such consumers consume less than 100 units a month, and they are the most cross-subsidised consumers of the state. Hence, it is imperative to focus on such consumers for shifting towards rooftop solar plants to reduce the overall load on the grid and reduce the overall dependency of the state on power procurement from outside the state.

As per the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), India, is committed to reducing the emissions intensity of its GDP by 45% by 2030, from the 2005 level, and generating about 50% of electricity from non-fossil sources by 2030.

Goa has already prepared a clean energy roadmap by 2050 for all the sectors in the state, including agriculture, transport, tourism, and fishery, and aims to achieve its net zero by 2050. Hence, we have to set targets for all sectors up to 2030 in this policy, govt said.