The Government of India has significantly revised its ambitions for renewable electricity, now aiming for 100 GW of solar energy by 2022, and 40 GW of wind by 2019. This is a huge leap in ambition and puts this fast-growing economy on track to meet 20 percent of its power needs with renewable resources within the next decade. In advance of this decision, the National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayog) initiated the Renewable Electricity Roadmap 2030 to determine the challenges and opportunities to greatly accelerate renewable electricity deployment in India. The NITI Aayog took this on in conjunction with its role of co-leading the 21st Century Power Partnership (21CPP, a multilateral effort of the Clean Energy Ministerial). The NITI Aayog’s operating agent for the 21CPP, the Confederation of Indian Industry, and knowledge partners, the Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation and the Regulatory Assistance Project, constituted the Renewable Electricity Roadmap 2030 Initiative team.

The team conducted a comprehensive stakeholder-driven “roadmap” exercise to answer the question: “How must the Indian power system evolve if India chooses to put renewable electricity at the core of the future system, rather than at the periphery?” The team met in individual and small group conversations with more than 250 diverse power sector stakeholders in over a dozen states, the central government, and pan-India organizations. The team used the Chatham House rule, which allowed for robust and frank conversations.

Report on India’s Renewable Electricity Roadmap 2030: Toward Accelerated Renewable Electricity Deployment summarizes the process and the results of this comprehensive stakeholder consultation. It presents the opportunities and barriers to renewable electricity, based on stakeholder feedback, and a summary of the rationale, as well as benefits and costs of renewable electricity within the context of the Indian power system. Then, drawn from stakeholder input and international experience, the report suggests a framework for an integrated policy strategy for rapid renewables implementation that complements both the existing and planned conventional power projects. The framework includes:

• A new comprehensive national renewable electricity law and/or policy and its components;
• Support mechanisms to ensure timely implementation; and
• Grid reforms to ensure smooth integration of renewable electricity.

The Government of India launched this report on 15 February at RE-INVEST: India’s first global renewable energy investors meeting and expo. Several of the report’s recommendations are already under consideration by the Government.