The Green Energy corridor is a network of infrastructural projects designed to integrate India’s traditional national grid with the power produced from renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and hydro.
Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL) conducted a study in 2012 and found that there was not enough infrastructure to evacuate and transmit excess electricity at the potential sites of power generation. So, a Green Energy Corridor (GEC) report planning for large-scale solar and wind power plants was submitted in September 2012. The GEC is an attempt to make the utilisation, transmission, and generation of electricity more consistent, less risky, and more efficient.
Phase 1 of GEC started in 2015 with a budget of around Rs 10,000 crore. It is currently implemented in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan.
The main objective of Phase 1, also called the Intra-State Transmission System (InSTS), is to divert the excess power generated through renewable resources and transport it to energy-deficient regions by connecting it to the national grid. Its aim was to construct around 9,700 km of transmission lines with the capacity to extract about 24 Gigawatt (GW) of electricity. Electrical substations of 22.6 Gigavolt Amperes (GVA) were expected to be constructed. State Transmission Utilities (STUs) of the respective states are responsible for implementing the project. The funding is a combination of funds from the central government (40 per cent), state government (20 per cent), and external borrowing (40 per cent).
Phase 2 of the scheme, recently approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, was implemented for a period from 2021–22 to 2025–26 with a budget of around Rs 12,000 crore of which around 33 per cent will be borne by the central government. It is already under implementation in the states of Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh. The project aims to construct 10,750 km length transmission lines and 27.5 GVA electrical substations. This scheme also aims to achieve 450 GW capacity by 2030.
Significance of Green Energy Corridor
- It will enable power-deficient regions to receive energy, generated in the excess production areas.
- It could increase the power generation capacity of India to 500 GW and meet 50 per cent of its energy requirements from renewable sources by the end of this decade.
- It will contribute to the long-run energy security.
- It is the best way to promote sustainable development and reduce the ecological footprint.
- It has the potential to reduce the cost of electricity production.
- It helps in providing employment opportunities in the related sectors.
Other Schemes
Some of the schemes that were launched to achieve the goals of this scheme are National Solar Mission, Atal Jyoti Yojana, Rewa Power Plant, Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha Evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan, International Solar Alliance (ISA), National Wind Solar Hybrid Policy 2018, Solar Park Scheme, Hydrogen Fuel Vehicles, Grid Connected Solar Rooftop Scheme, etc.
Scope of Green Energy
India ranks fourth, globally, in terms of its capacity to exploit its wind power after China, the USA, and Germany. This shows that there is a large scope to capitalise on the renewable resources in India, especially wind and solar energy. This scheme will increase the power generation capacity of the country with renewable resources. India will also be able to meet its climate commitment target as decided in the COP 26 summit. Moreover, the implementation of GEC will help attain India’s goals of reducing carbon emissions, increasing energy efficiency, reducing dependence on non-renewable resources, and increasing energy security for the future. The implementation of this project requires efficient infrastructure to support it. Provided that the infrastructure, funding, and implementation are as per the plan, this scheme has a huge potential to make way for a cleaner and energy-efficient ecosystem.
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