Karnataka now number one in renewable energy production

Bengaluru: With 12,640MW in cumulative installed capacity of renewable energy, Karnataka this year became number one state in the country in enhancing its renewable energy capacity. It is the only state to have added 5265.26 MW of installed solar capacity.   

The co-founder of CleanMax Solar, Mr Andrew Hines, said that despite the uneven tendering activity by the government, the sustainable aspirations from the corporate segment and the consistent private demand for renewable energy drove the state to the number one spot. 

“We added 270 MWp of utility-scale solar projects, as the number one developer under the Karnataka solar policy. Our rooftop business also saw a steady growth, as we passed the 100 MWp mark early in the year and expect to hit 200 MWp of operational rooftop solar plants in early 2019. Open access solar volumes also grew significantly,” he said.

He said that rooftop solar represents 10% of the country’s solar volumes and by 2019, it is expected to add approximately 10 GW of solar capacity. 

Early this year, Karnataka overtook Denmark and the Netherlands by enhancing its renewable energy capacity with an installed capacity of 12.3 GW. It includes 5 GW of solar energy, 4.7 GW of wind energy, and approximately 2.6 GW of hydro, biomass, and heat and power co-generation.

Mr Sunil Rathi, Director, Waaree Energies, believes that 2018 was the landmark year for the solar sector. “It was an especially defining year for domestic manufacturers who received continued support from the government through the imposition of the safeguard duty. This created a level playing field, for manufacturers to showcase their capabilities, and bring in disruptive R&D,” he said. 

“With utility scale energy storage solutions being considered the next big step and with the rising economies of scale, we can see India heading towards a future of energy security through renewable energy,” he said.