751.52 MW of RE Capacity Added in August, Total at 88.65 GW: MNRE

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has issued a monthly summary for August 2020, revealing that a total of 751.52 MW of RE capacity was added during the month, which took India’s total to 88.65 GW.

PC: Bosch India

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has issued a monthly summary for the Cabinet for the month of August 2020, detailing all the events and development that took place during the month. The first key point made was that a total of 751.52 MW of renewable (RE) capacity was added during the month, which took India’s total RE generational capacity to 88.65 GW at the end of August. RE August MNRE

Wind made up 38 GW of the total, closely followed by solar at 35.74 GW and then 10.17 GW from Bio-power and finally 4.74 GW from small hydro projects. The ministry has revealed that projects of 45.11 GW capacity are at various stages of implementation and that 28.43 GW capacity currently under various stages of bidding.

At the financial front, the ministry has notified that an expenditure of Rs 1424.33 crore has been incurred up to August 31, 2020. Which is equivalent to roughly 24.7 percent of the budget estimate for the ministry for the year 2020-2021.

The other key event in the month was the time extension of five months, from March 25, 2020, to August 24, 2020, in the scheduled commissioning date of renewable energy products in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. The extension will also apply to all the schemes of MNRE, and the ministry had also asked all state governments to take similar action in respect of RE projects being implemented by them or agencies.

Other key highlights include:

• The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) conducting the e-reverse auction (e-RA) for 970 MW ISTS-connected wind power projects on August 14, 2020.
• A meeting of the standing committee on energy (2019-20) was held on August 18, 2020, on the subject “Action Plan for Achievement of 175 GW Renewable Energy Target.”
• A meeting was also held with the Rajasthan Government to discuss pending issues pertaining to renewable energy projects in the state.
• The recommendations of the expert committee set up by MNRE to review standards on solar PV modules used in solar power projects was also issued, inviting comments and suggestions from stakeholders.

[Updated September 15, 2020]