India destined to lead the world in clean energy: Piyush Goyal

India has exceeded its solar targets by 116 per cent this year in comparison to last year and has already awarded projects to generate 11,000 MW. India, with its huge, but achievable solar energy targets, will now lead the world towards clean energy rather than follow it, minister of state for power, coal and new and renewable energy Piyush Goyal said.

''The way things are progressing in the solar energy sector. We will definitely achieve our target. Solar energy is economically viable,'' Goyal said at the Concentrated Solar and Solar Cooker Excellence Awards.

''A target of adding 10,500 MW of solar power has been set for this fiscal year. It is four to five times more than last year. For achieving this target we have already floated tenders for 21,000 MW of solar power projects during the last fiscal year. With 21,000 MW of new solar projects out in the market, India has signalled to the world that we're ready to lead to the world,'' the Minister added.

Goyal further said that solar programme will not only ensure energy security of our country but also provide power to the last person at the bottom of the pyramid.

The minister said that individual projects have a vital role to play in achieving holistic solar targets and that the government will foster such efforts.

The awards were given to various stakeholder groups, including state nodal agencies, manufacturers / suppliers of the technology and a wide range of beneficiaries to recognise their achievements made in the sector.

The Excellence Award ceremony is part of National Workshop on CST and Solar Cookers organised by ministry of new and renewable energy to recognize notable achievement in off-grid and decentralised solar application.

The ministry of new and renewable energy (MNRE) is implementing the programme on Concentrated Solar Thermal (CST) technology under the 'off-grid and decentralised solar applications' programme of the National Solar Mission.

The programme aims to promote applications of CST technologies in the industrial sectors, commercial establishments and other institutions.

CST technologies can be used to provide steam / hot oil / pressurized water in the temperature range of 90 to 300°C for various applications, including community cooking, laundry, space cooling etc.

While community cooking has become a popular application in both educational and religious organisations, CST technologies are being adopted to meet the process heat requirements in dairying, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, textiles and many other industrial sectors.

Over 200 systems covering a total area of around 45000 m2 have already been installed in various parts of the country. The Ministry is also preparing a roadmap to install 100 MW of CSTs by the year 2022.

MNRE's efforts are being supported for CST projects by UNIDO and UNDP to further promote and accelerate the use of these technologies in the country by removing its barriers to scaling up, each by installing 45,000 m2 of CST systems within 5 years.