News | Energy Efficiency

http://www.newenergyworldnetwork.com/renewable-energy-news/by-technology/solar/india-on-course-to-meet-solar-targets.html

India is set to tie 1.1GW of solar power generation capacity to its electricity grid by 2013, meaning it is on course to meet its 20GW by 2022 target, the country’s government announced today.

Renewable Energy Secretary Deepak Gupta said the government has already issued contracts for 184MW of solar projects that are due to be constructed by late 2011, the Wall Street Journal said.
Having made a call for a further 620MW of power generation capacity, the government also looks set to call for bids on 300MW of renewable energy projects before the end of the year.
Around a tenth of the country’s installed power capacity derives from renewable energy sources, a large proportion of which are wind or solar projects.
Gupta reportedly said the country’s goal – through its solar mission – is to cut the price of solar power and spur the research and development of new renewable energy power projects in the region.
The solar energy tariff in India is around $0.40 per kWh, which is still more than nine times the price of coal in the region.
Local governments in India are required to purchase a minimum level of renewable energy in their energy mix.
State-owned energy producer NTPC also aims to sell solar power alongside electricity from coal plants to revitalise the renewable power market, the Wall Street Journal said.