Rajasthan asks Chhattisgarh for coal, what happened to renewable energy target?

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot of Rajasthan wrote a letter to his Chhattisgarh counterpart Bhupesh Baghel, urging him to make 91.21 hectares of forest land available from the second phase of the Parsa (East) and Kete Basan (PEKB) coal block in Chhattisgarh for generating power in Rajasthan.

CM Gehlot said in his letter to Baghel, "We have already received all the permissions for stage-wise mining of 1,136 hectares from the second phase of PEKB. However, the Chhattisgarh government is yet to hand over the remaining 91.21 hectares of forest land allocated for mining purposes in the 2022-23 quota to Rajasthan. Earlier, we received 43.63 hectares of land from the yearly mining quota, but mining activities have stopped in that area due to nearly depleted coal deposits."

Gehlot wrote in the letter that the Chhattisgarh government could not hand over the remaining 91.21 hectares of forest land for mining purposes. Therefore, the daily supply of 8-9 coal rakes from this block has come to a complete halt. As a result, Rajasthan's thermal power plants are experiencing a severe impact on electricity generation.

In his letter, CM Gehlot stated that once they receive the land, it will take two months to start mining activities. This delay will lead to a coal shortage in Rajasthan during the Rabi season, so he urged the immediate handover of the land.

Renewable energy target

Rajasthan state in India has claimed to be the most capable of fulfilling India’s latest energy policy 2021 target of 450 GW by having the highest installed solar generation capacity of over 8000 MW. Rajasthan is also among the top five states in India in terms of installed wind generation capacity.

The Indian government has targeted to keep Aggregated Technical and Commercial losses between 12%-15%. However, the report stated that states like Rajasthan and Maharashtra lag due to Aggregated Technical and Commercial losses. Maharashtra recorded a loss of 18.9%, while Rajasthan had a loss of 18%.

For example, in the solar sector, Rajasthan leads by a wide margin, accounting for nearly a quarter of the country's installed capacity.

States like Rajasthan encounter a challenge, which is the insufficiency of transmission infrastructure. Renewable energy projects are frequently situated in remote regions with limited transmission infrastructure. Consequently, it becomes challenging to transmit power from these projects to areas where demand exists. To tackle this problem, the Indian government has implemented various measures, including the establishment of Green Energy Corridors and the provision of financial assistance for transmission infrastructure expansion.

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has set a target of achieving 30,000 MW of solar power and 7,500 MW of wind and hybrid energy generation for Rajasthan by 2024-25. The state government intends to methodically tap into its solar generation capacity, which experts have estimated at 142 GW. This effort aims to revolutionize the energy sector in both the state and the nation.

Renewable energy needed in Rajasthan for net zero achievement

Rajasthan has made significant progress in increasing its renewable energy capacity and has set ambitious targets for the future. The state asserts its capability to fulfill India's latest energy policy 2021 target of 450 GW, boasting the highest installed solar generation capacity of over 8000 MW.

Here are some of the key initiatives that Rajasthan is taking to promote renewable energy:

• The state has set a target of generating 30,000 MW of solar energy and 7,500 MW of wind and hybrid power generation by 2024-25.
• The state government has provided various incentives for renewable energy projects, such as tax breaks and accelerated depreciation.
• The state is also promoting the development of renewable energy parks and micro grids.

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