Union minister of state with independent charge for coal, mines and renewable energy, Mr. Piyush Goyal addressed India media via a webinar held on the third-year anniversary of NDA government at the centre. Pointing at immense opportunities for investment available in Rajasthan energy sectors, Mr. Goyal advised the state government to abolish intra-state transmission charges on solar energy. According to Mr. Goyal, Rajasthan, being a desert state, is blessed with natural sunlight all year round. The state shows great potential for investment in renewable energy and they can harness this potential by removing unwanted transmission charges.
Rajasthan is the largest state of India in terms of geographic area. The state has miles of barren land, having an estimated capacity of 142GW. Thanks to the investment-friendly policy and speedy efforts of the government, Rajasthan ranks among top five producers of solar energy in India, with total commissioned capacity of 1177 MW.
The state produces ample of solar power—sufficient for its own consumption as well as transmission to other neighboring states. Should the government waive off transmission chargers, it’ll not just generate income by selling solar power to other states, but also create sustainable opportunities for investment and employment for the youth in energy sector.
Mr. Goyal had a discussion with Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje in this matter. Expressing concern over the growing imbalance ratio of electricians over consumers, Goyal asserted that the centre will issue proper guidelines to maintain homogenous power load per transformer. This is essential to ensure consistent power supply.
Besides solar energy, the state will focus on organic waste. The ‘gaushalas’ (cow shelters) across the country will install a bio-gas production and bottling unit within their premises. The main objective behind this effort is to turn waste into wealth. Considering that India is reliant on agriculture and animal husbandry, there’s a huge scope for bio waste in rural villages. Biofuel can slowly replace firewood in cooking. This way, the gaushalas will make more money through production – money that will cater to the requirements of animals.
Goyal concluded his key note, focusing on PM Modi’s vision for ‘Ujjwal Bharat’. Optimum utilization of available natural resources and waste is essential for supplying clean power 24×7. Appreciating the initiatives of power and energy ministry, Goyal promised to electrify the entire country before 2020.
