India sets renewable minimum for utilities

NEW DELHI, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- The Indian government recently announced new renewable energy standards for utilities.

As a part of the national action plan on climate change, the government will require that power utilities buy 5 percent of their power from renewable energy sources starting this year.

Utilities will be required to meet the new standard by the end of 2010, and then the minimum for renewable energy will be increased every year by 1 percent for the next 10 years, U.S.-based environmental publication Red, Green and Blue reported.

The effort is part of the Indian government's goal to encourage the use of clean energy and reduce carbon emissions. The decision follows last year's decision to increase the nation's use of solar energy.

According to the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission, the southern Indian states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu are already buying 10 percent of their power from renewable energy sources.