The Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Limited (KREDL) has promised to facilitate the development of 20 GW of renewable energy capacity for the state, comprising 2 GW of rooftop solar PV under the draft Karnataka Renewable Energy Policy 2021-2026. The draft does not specify individual shares of renewable energy generation sources in the 20 GW target.
Released on February 24, 2021, the policy envisages the applicability of the policy to projects and programs related to solar, wind, solar-wind hybrid, energy storage, mini and small-hydro, biomass and waste-to-energy projects along with new initiatives or pilot projects established in the state during the policy period, once it comes into force.
It will encompass all renewable energy projects sanctioned prior to the commencement of this policy and all projects in the process of development. Clean energy thus produced will promote adaptation of electric vehicles (EV) enabling decarbonization in the state. Hybridization of floating solar with existing hydro power stations will be enabled under the policy as well as solarization of agriculture feeders and pumps.
KREDL believes this will mobilize private sector investment in the state while meeting low cost clean energy demand here and ensuring Karnataka enough clean energy to export outside its borders.
Under solar power, its focus will be on the promotion and development of grid connected MW scale solar power projects, rooftop solar PV, distributed solar generation and rooftop solar PV for charging EVs and battery swapping stations, and floating solar projects.
The complete draft policy can be found on KREDL website for which the agency is to accept stakeholder comments till March 2, 2021.
According to KREDL, under Karnataka Solar Policy 2014-21, the state was able to exceed its targeted 6 GW of solar power capacity by 2021 to reach 7.366 GW as of December 2020. Cumulative installed renewable energy power generation capacity of the state is over 15 GW till the reporting period. Through the new policy, Karnataka wants to further harness the potential of clean energy sources. It pegs the state's renewable energy potential at about 86.792 GW.