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                                         Press Information Bureau
                                              Government of India
                               Ministry of New and Renewable Energy

MNRE sanctions 20,000 Solar Lanterns for flood affected people of Uttarakhand.

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has sanctioned central financial assistance of Rs. 4.4 crores for the distribution of 20,000 solar lanterns to the people in the flood affected areas of Uttarakhand. The Ministry will be meeting the full cost of solar lanterns to be distributed. Each lantern costs approximately Rs. 2200. This project will be implemented by the Uttarakhand Renewable Energy Development Agency, Dehradun.

Immediately after the calamity that struck the Himalayan state on June 15, Union Minister for New & Renewable Energy, Dr. Farooq Abdullah instructed his Ministry to enquire from the Government of Uttarakhand about the ways in which the Ministry could help the affected people. The Ministry, in turn, upon receiving a request from the Government of Uttarakhand for providing Solar Lanterns issued its in principle, approval for the same, immediately.

These solar lanterns would provide lights in the far-flung and badly affected areas which have been totally cut-off from the grid and where the extension/repair of grid lines would take several months. These would help the villagers to not only complete their normal works after dusk but also keep off wild animals from their habitat.

The Ministry has been meeting 100% funding for distribution of solar lanterns to the natural calamity/ disaster affected people in different parts of the country. The Ministry had earlier provided for the full cost for 14000 solar lanterns for Aila affected people in West Bengal during 2009-10; 1000 solar lanterns in Leh during 2010-11 to people of flash flood affected areas and 14,900 solar lanterns in Sikkim during 2011-12 to the earth quake affected people.

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sources: Ministry of new and renewable energy

08-March-2013 18:23 IST

30% Subsidy on solar appliances.
The Ministry of New & Renewable Energy under the Off-grid and Decentralized Applications Scheme of Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission is providing a subsidy of 30% of the cost of solar lanterns, home lights, streets lights, solar water pumping systems and solar water heating systems. The subsidy is limited to Rs. 81 per Wp for solar lighting systems, Rs. 57 per Wp for solar pumping systems and Rs. 3,000-3,300 per sq. meters of collector areas for solar water heating system in general categories States. In special category States subsidy of 90% of the cost of solar street light limited to Rs. 243 per Wp is available for installation by Central and State Government Ministries, Departments and their organizations, State Nodal Agencies and Local Bodies. Under the scheme, 60% of the cost solar water heater limited to Rs. 6000-6600 per sq. meters of solar thermal collector areas is available. The Ministry has released Rs. 103.05 crores during 2009-10, Rs. 287.05 crores during 2010-11, Rs. 589.76 crores and Rs 300.85 crores during 2012-13 up to 31.1.2013 for solar lights, water pumping systems, off-grid power plants and solar water heaters. The Ministry will continue to provide subsidy for solar lighting systems to individuals under the Off-grid and Decentralized Solar Application Scheme of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission during 2013-14. This information was given by Minister for New & Renewable Energy, Dr. Farooq Abdullah in Lok Sabha today.
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08-March-2013 17:29 IST

Schemes for Development of Solar & wind Energy not State specific.
The schemes for development of solar and wind energy are not state specific. The project developers are free to develop solar and wind power plants under schemes of the Central Government at a location of their choice including Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh subject to the fulfillment of the prescribed terms and conditions laid down in the scheme. In schemes for solar power, incentives like generation based incentive or arrangements for bundling with conventional thermal power were provided while in scheme for wind power, GBI at the rate of 50 paise per unit with a limit of Rs. 62 lakh per MW was offered to developers that do not avail accelerated depreciation till 31.03.2012. During the next five years, it is envisaged to add 9000 MW of solar power and 15000 MW of wind power to the grid. Thus it is expected that in the next five years the power generation from solar and wind energy will reach about 42 billion units per annum. The government is providing financial and fiscal incentives like concessional / nil customs and excise duties on certain components/ equipments/ materials for setting up solar and wind power plants, preferential feed-in-tariffs, capital subsidy, generation based incentives, etc. to promote solar and wind energy. Ten years’ tax holiday is provided on income generated from wind power projects. Technical support, including solar and wind resource assessment to identify further potential sites, is provided by Ministry’s Centre for Wind Energy Technology (C-WET), Chennai. br> This information was given by Minister for New & Renewable Energy, Dr. Farooq Abdullah in Lok Sabha today .

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08-March-2013 18:19 ISTFDI worth 8569 crores in Renewable Energy Sector.
There has been Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflow to the tune of Rs.8569 Crores (US$ 1756 million) in the renewable energy sector during the last three years and current years (as on 31.12.2012). 100% FDI through automatic route is available to investors of Renewable Energy Projects. The government offers fiscal and monetary incentives to renewable energy developers to promote investment.
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy organized an Investment Promotion meet at London, United Kingdom in June 2012 with a view to seek investment for setting up of renewable energy power projects in the country
The Government has taken several steps to encourage development of renewable energy sector. These include the following: Private sector companies are partnering with government and co-investing in R&D and technology development. Fiscal and financial incentives, such as, capital / interest subsidies, accelerated depreciation, nil/concessional excise and customs duties; Preferential tariff for grid interactive renewable power in most potential States following the provisions made under the National Electricity Policy 2005 and National Tariff Policy 2006, Uniform guidelines by CERC for fixation of such preferential tariffs being issued every year; Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission launched to facilitate large scale capital investment in solar energy sector, Payment Security Mechanism for grid connected solar power projects under the Mission.
The Government also has a policy to encourage transfer of foreign technologies, including those in renewable energy sector. Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) up to 100% under the automatic route is permitted in Renewable Energy Generation and Distribution projects subject to provisions of Electricity Act, 2003.

                      

  14-December-2012 17:04 IST

Government Creates National Clean Energy Fund for Research and Innovative Projects
The Minister of New and Renewable Energy, Dr. Farooq Abdullah informed Lok Sabha today that the National Clean Energy Fund (NCEF) is created for funding research and innovative projects in clean energy technologies. Any project/scheme relating to innovative methods to adopt to clean energy technology and research & development shall be eligible for funding under the NCEF. The total tax revenue generated through ‘Clean Energy Cess’ for NCEF was Rs 1,066.45 crore (Actual) for the financial year 2010-11 and Rs 3,249.40 crore (Revised Estimates) for financial year 2011-12. In respect of the current financial year (2012-13), the budgetary estimates are of Rs. 3,864.20 crore. Guidelines have been laid down for appraisal and approval of the projects/schemes eligible for financing under theFund. Fifteen projects envisaging total support of Rs 1,974.16 crore, out of the NCEF have already been recommended by the Inter-Ministerial Group (IMG) till date.
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                                       Press Information Bureau
                                          Government of India
                              Ministry of New and Renewable Energy

                                                                    07-December-2012 16:45 IST

Government Promotes Installation of Renewable Energy System in the Existing Buildings

The Minister of New and Renewable Energy , DR. FAROOQ ABDULLAH informed Lok Sabha today that the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy is implementing a programme on Energy Efficient Solar/Green buildings which aims to promote the construction of energy efficient solar/green buildings and renewable energy applications in buildings including a green building rating system-Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment (GRIHA). Further, the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) has also developed Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) for ensuring energy efficiency in buildings. These are voluntary and are not proposed to be mandatory. The Ministry is promoting installation of renewable energy systems and devices in the country in the existing buildings also including buildings in the Government sector under various programmes. The Ministry is also providing incentives under the Energy Efficient Solar/Green Building Programme towards capacity buildings, awareness etc. for the green buildings. However, GRIHA Rating System and ECBC are applicable for the construction of new buildings only.
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