NEW DELHI: The government has agreed to allow flexibility in the mix of sources for achieving the target of 175 GW (giga watt) capacity by 2022, power and renewable energy minister R K Singh said on Tuesday after a brainstorming session with counterparts from states. "The overall target of 175 GW remains the same. But flexibility in the capacity mix will help tap the potential of each renewable energy source to the full instead of being bogged down by stated targets," Singh said. He said the 100 GW capacity envisaged for solar power need not be sacrosanct. It could be 110 GW or 90 GW, depending upon the potential. If wind energy appears to have higher potential, more of that capacity will built instead of being limited by the envisaged target of 60 GW. The government had in 2015 announced that India will build 175 GW renewable energy capacity as part of its climate commitment. This envisaged 100 GW solar power and 60 GW wind energy, with small hydropower and other clean sources making up the rest. Since then, the country has built up renewable energy capacity of 79 GW. The minister also impressed upon the states to buy green energy as per their RPO (renewable power obligation) and ensure timely payments to renewable energy project developers. He said SECI (Solar Energy Corporation of India), the state-run nodal entity for building green energy capacity, would develop a payment security mechanism to ensure timely payment by states. Singh said he also asked states to expedite bidding for renewable energy projects so that the country can meet its renewable energy target.
India's target of 175 GW renewable energy capacity by 2022 is flexible about the proportion that each source will contribute, according to the power minister Raj Kumar Singh. Following a meeting with state representatives, Singh stated that while it was initially considered the capacity would consist of 100 GW of solar, 60 GW of wind and small levels of hydropower, these figures are not set in stone. The final mix will depend on which clean energy sources have the greatest potential. India has reached 79 GW of renewable capacity since announcing the goal in 2015.