Deve Gowda Warns of Renewable Energy Gaps for 'Viksit Bharat'

Former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda stressed the need to address persistent challenges in the renewable energy (RE) sector to meet the energy demands of a 'Viksit Bharat' during a recent Rajya Sabha discussion on the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).

In his address, Gowda praised the Modi-led government's efforts over the past decade to advance India's renewable energy sector. He commended the increased installed capacities for non-fossil fuels and solar energy. Despite this progress, Gowda pointed out significant concerns, including the fact that renewable energy currently accounts for only 20 percent of India's total energy consumption, with 80 percent still dependent on fossil fuels.

Gowda highlighted a Teri report projection indicating that by 2050, energy demand could increase fourfold. He criticised the absence of a special budget allocation for renewable energy in the current fiscal year, urging the government to accelerate efforts and secure substantial investments to support the sector. Gowda also recommended adopting a policy that restricts renewable energy projects to degraded lands to avoid impacting biodiversity.

In the Rajya Sabha, other members also voiced their perspectives. Niranjan Bishi (BJD) raised concerns about inadequate funding for emerging technologies, project delays, and land acquisition issues that lead to significant cost overruns.

AD Singh (RJD) flagged the reliance on imported components for solar energy production, while V Sivadasan (CPI-M) accused the government of failing to meet previous renewable energy targets and engaging in crony capitalism.

Sagarika Ghose (TMC) said  that targets for solar and wind capacities set for 2022 have not been met, with renewables contributing only 13 percent to the total electricity generated. She pointed out that the government is focussing on large-scale projects and neglecting small-scale renewables.

Milind Deora (Shiv Sena) countered the opposition's criticisms by pointing to the government's substantial budget increase for the MNRE, which has seen a 400 percent rise in installed non-fossil fuel capacity over the past 8.5 years, now reaching 203 GW.