UPSC GS Paper III: Environment - Renewable Energy Solar Wind Hydro Bioenergy Targets

Must‑Know (20–25 detailed bullets)

• India’s installed renewable energy capacity was 192.68 GW as of March 31, 2024; solar and wind contribute 88.6 GW and 48.5 GW respectively, per Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).
• India targets 500 GW of non-fossil fuel electricity capacity by 2030, announced at COP26 (Glasgow, 2021), part of updated NDC under Paris Agreement.
• National Solar Mission (NSM), launched in 2010 under National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC), initially targeted 20 GW solar by 2022; revised to 100 GW in 2015.
• 100 GW solar target broken into 40 GW rooftop solar and 60 GW utility-scale projects; as of March 2024, rooftop solar capacity was 11.7 GW.
• Solar Parks Scheme, launched 2014, supports development of 50+ solar parks with aggregate capacity of 40 GW; Bhadla Solar Park (Rajasthan) is world’s largest with 2.25 GW.
• Wind energy target under National Wind-Solar Hybrid Policy (2018) is 60 GW by 2022; actual installed wind capacity was 48.5 GW by March 2024.
• National Hydro Policy (2008) treats large hydro (≥25 MW) as renewable since 2019; total installed hydro capacity was 47.6 GW as of March 2024.
• Small hydro projects (<25 MW) are classified under MNRE; 5,369 MW of small hydro capacity installed as of 2024.
• India’s first offshore wind project (1 GW) planned off Gujarat coast; feasibility study completed by National Institute of Wind Energy (NIWE).
• Bioenergy includes biomass power, bagasse cogeneration, and waste-to-energy; total installed capacity was 11.3 GW as of March 2024.
• National Bioenergy Programme (2021) subsumes earlier schemes; promotes biogas, compressed biogas (CBG), and biomass power.
• SATAT (Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation) scheme launched in 2018 targets 5,000 CBG plants by 2030; 130+ operational as of 2024.
• Kusum Scheme (2019) aims to install 25.75 GW solar capacity: 10 GW grid-connected solar pumps, 1.75 million standalone solar pumps, and 1 MW solarisation of 10,000 feeder lines.
• Under Kusum, farmers can sell surplus solar power to DISCOMs; reduces agricultural dependence on grid and diesel.
• Green Energy Corridors Phase I (2012–2017) funded by World Bank and KfW for ₹3,000 crore to evacuate renewable power from seven states.
• Green Energy Corridors Phase II (2020) approved for ₹12,031 crore to integrate 20 GW renewable energy in intra-state transmission in 13 states.
• National Green Hydrogen Mission, launched 2023, aims to achieve 5 million tonnes annual production by 2030; ₹19,744 crore outlay.
• Green Hydrogen targets include making India export-ready and reducing fossil fuel imports by 20–25% by 2030.
• Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) under Electricity Act, 2003 mandates DISCOMs and consumers to source minimum percentage of power from renewables; enforced by State Electricity Regulatory Commissions (SERCs).
• RPO targets set by CERC: 21% non-solar and 17% solar by 2029–30; non-compliance attracts penalty under Section 86(1)(e).
• National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE), Gurugram, is apex body for R&D in solar; functions as implementing agency for NSM.
• National Biomass Cookstoves Initiative (2009) promotes clean cooking; replaced by Ujjwala scheme which distributes LPG but not renewable-based.
• International Solar Alliance (ISA), co-founded by India and France at COP21 (2015), headquartered in Gurugram; 118 signatory countries as of 2024.
• ISA’s goal: mobilize $1 trillion in solar investments by 2030; launched One Sun One World One Grid (OSOWOG) initiative.
• India’s wind energy potential estimated at 302 GW at 120m hub height (NIWE, 2022); Gujarat and Tamil Nadu lead in installed capacity.

Difficulty Level

Intermediate – requires integration of policy, targets, and current data; numerical accuracy and interlinkages (e.g., ISA, COP26) frequently tested.

Common UPSC Traps (3–5 factual traps)

Trap: Large hydro projects are not considered renewable in India – Fact: Ministry of New and Renewable Energy included large hydro (≥25 MW) under renewable category in 2019, aligning with COP26 commitments.
Trap: Kusum Scheme is fully implemented – Fact: As of 2024, only a fraction of Kusum’s 25.75 GW target has been achieved due to low DISCOM uptake and funding delays.
Trap: Green Hydrogen Mission includes solar and wind subsidies – Fact: Mission focuses on demand creation via production-linked incentive (PLI) for green hydrogen, not direct renewable energy subsidies.
Trap: SATAT scheme is under Ministry of Petroleum – Fact: SATAT is implemented by Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, but promoted under MNRE’s bioenergy umbrella; confusion arises due to inter-ministerial overlap.

Practice MCQs (5–7 questions)

Question: Which of the following statements about India’s renewable energy targets is/are correct?
1. India aims to achieve 500 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030.
2. The National Solar Mission initially targeted 100 GW of solar capacity by 2022.
3. The Green Energy Corridors project is implemented solely by the Ministry of Power.
A) 1 only
B) 1 and 2 only
C) 1 and 3 only
D) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: A
Explanation: Statement 1 is correct (COP26 pledge). Statement 2 is false – initial NSM target was 20 GW, revised to 100 GW in 2015. Statement 3 is false – Green Energy Corridors is a joint initiative with funding from external agencies.
Why others fail: Option B is tempting because 100 GW solar by 2022 was widely reported, but the initial 2010 target was 20 GW.

Question: The International Solar Alliance (ISA) was launched during which event?
A) COP21 in Paris
B) COP22 in Marrakech
C) COP26 in Glasgow
D) UNFCCC Secretariat Meeting, 2016
Answer: A
Explanation: ISA was launched by India and France at COP21 in Paris (2015).
Why others fail: Option C is tempting due to high visibility of COP26 announcements like 500 GW target.

Question: Which of the following is NOT part of the Kusum Scheme?
A) Installation of standalone solar pumps
B) Solarisation of agricultural feeder lines
C) Incentives for offshore wind projects
D) Grid-connected solar power plants on barren lands
Answer: C
Explanation: Offshore wind is under NIWE’s offshore roadmap, not Kusum. Kusum covers solar pumps and feeder solarisation.
Why others fail: Option D may seem incorrect, but Kusum Component A includes grid-connected solar plants on barren lands.

Question: Under the Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO), which body sets the annual targets for distribution companies?
A) Ministry of New and Renewable Energy
B) Central Electricity Regulatory Commission
C) Power Grid Corporation of India
D) Bureau of Energy Efficiency
Answer: B
Explanation: CERC prescribes RPO targets under Section 86(2) of Electricity Act, 2003; SERCs enforce at state level.
Why others fail: Option A is tempting as MNRE sets policy, but not statutory RPO targets.

Question: Which of the following statements about the National Bioenergy Programme is correct?
A) It was launched in 2023 to replace the Ujjwala scheme
B) It includes incentives for biogas, CBG, and biomass power
C) It is funded entirely by the World Bank
D) It mandates 100% ethanol blending in petrol by 2025
Answer: B
Explanation: National Bioenergy Programme (2021) subsumes earlier schemes and promotes biogas, CBG, and biomass.
Why others fail: Option D is tempting due to Ethanol Blending Programme (EBP) target of 20% by 2025, not 100%.

Question: The One Sun One World One Grid (OSOWOG) initiative is promoted by:
A) United Nations Environment Programme
B) International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)
C) International Solar Alliance
D) World Bank
Answer: C
Explanation: OSOWOG is a flagship initiative of the International Solar Alliance to enable cross-border solar power sharing.
Why others fail: Option B is tempting as IRENA promotes renewables globally, but OSOWOG is ISA-specific.

Question: As of 2024, which state has the highest installed wind power capacity in India?
A) Maharashtra
B) Tamil Nadu
C) Gujarat
D) Karnataka
Answer: B
Explanation: Tamil Nadu leads with over 10 GW of installed wind capacity, followed by Gujarat.
Why others fail: Option C is tempting due to Gujarat’s large solar capacity and offshore wind plans.

Last‑Minute Revision (20–25 one‑liners)

• ⚠️ India’s renewable target: 500 GW non-fossil capacity by 2030 (COP26).
• National Solar Mission launched: 2010.
• NSM revised target: 100 GW solar by 2022 (from 20 GW).
• Installed solar capacity (March 2024): 88.6 GW.
• Installed wind capacity (March 2024): 48.5 GW.
• ⚠️ Large hydro included under renewables since 2019.
• Small hydro definition: <25 MW.
• Kusum Scheme launched: 2019.
• Kusum total target: 25.75 GW.
• SATAT scheme target: 5,000 CBG plants by 2030.
• Number of operational CBG plants (2024): 130+.
• Green Energy Corridors Phase I: ₹3,000 crore.
• Green Energy Corridors Phase II: ₹12,031 crore.
• National Green Hydrogen Mission outlay: ₹19,744 crore.
• Green Hydrogen production target: 5 MMT/year by 2030.
• RPO enforcement agency: SERCs (under Electricity Act, 2003).
• CERC sets RPO targets under Section 86(2).
• ISA launched: 2015, COP21, Paris.
• ISA co-founders: India and France.
• ISA HQ: Gurugram, India.
• OSOWOG promoted by: ISA.
• ⚠️ NIWE – National Institute of Wind Energy, Chennai.
• NISE – National Institute of Solar Energy, Gurugram.
• First offshore wind project: Gujarat coast (1 GW planned).
• ⚠️ Bhadla Solar Park (Rajasthan) – largest in world (2.25 GW).