India's clean energy to rise eight-fold

NEW DELHI, June 29 (UPI) -- India says its renewable energy installation is set to rise eight-fold to 80,000 megawatts in next 25 years.

Renewable energy installations in the country will see an exponential increase in capacity by 2032, the government announced.

"By 2032, the installed capacity of renewable energy sources will be 80,000 megawatts," said Vilas Muttemwar, the minister for non-conventional and renewable energy.

He said the current installed capacity of renewables such as wind, solar power and biomass is about 10,000 megawatts.

The ministry is planning to provide electricity to around 75 million rural un-electrified households through renewable energy sources, Muttemwar said.

According to Muttemwar the government is formulating a biofuels policy to encourage the use of biofuels, mainly in the transportation sector.

While addressing a conference in New Delhi, Muttemwar said India has the largest government initiated renewable energy program in the world.

India stands fourth in renewable energy in the world with an installed capacity of 7,000 megawatts of wind energy.

The minister said private players are harnessing power from small hydro power projects ranging from 1 megawatt to 50 megawatts.

Biomass and co-generation projects have an installed capacity of 1,200 megawatts that's also contributing to the growth of the renewable energy sector, Muttemwar said.