By Business India Editorial

The Government of Rajasthan has unveiled two new policies focussing on creating and promoting renewable energy infrastructures that make the most of the state’s natural resources.

Centred around solar, wind and hybrid energy, the policies deal with a range of issues keeping in mind the central government’s global commitment to achieve a national target of 175GW of renewable energy generation – which includes 100GW of solar power and 60GW of wind energy by 2022.

In general terms, both policies discuss steps to be undertaken by the state – such as the creation of suitable infrastructure, support in the form of land availability and incentives, and project approval procedures. Bearing in mind the fickle nature of wind and solar power, the state mentioned promoting projects with storage systems.

The state’s plans for wind and hybrid energy, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said, was aimed “at giving a fillip to the already vibrant wind power sector in the state”. The policy contains measures such as repowering of existing wind turbines that have completed at least 10 years in operation, productive use of wasteland for the creation of wind energy hubs, and hybridisation of conventional thermal power plants to reduce fuel consumption and emissions of greenhouse gases.

Rajasthan’s plans for boosting solar energy production are led by a target of 30GW capacity by 2024-25. In this effort, the state will promote small decentralized grid-connected projects at load centres, rooftop solar projects and off-grid solar applications like water pumps and home lighting systems. It will endeavour to develop 33 district headquarters as ‘Green Energy Cities’ in the next five years by installing 300MW of solar rooftop systems. Attention will also be given to developing electric vehicle charging stations that run on renewable energy.

“It aims at far-reaching interventions at all levels of the generation pyramid and across the consumption chain, involving all stakeholders, and employment generation for our youth,” Gehlot was quoted saying about the solar policy.