Moving to Greener Pastures: The New Renewable Energy Policy of Karnataka

Karnataka is the leading Indian state in Renewable Energy (RE) sector with 15 GW of installed capacity base and another 9 GW of green capacity being under implementation. The Cabinet of State Government of Karnataka has cleared the Karnataka Renewable Energy Policy from 2022 through 2027, which seeks to preserve the state’s popularity as a renewable power leader. Making use of its abundant renewable energy resources in all forms including Solar, Wind, Small Hydro, Biomass, Cogeneration, Waste-to-Energy, and Tidal, Karnataka is all set to become the leader in installed capacity in renewable energy.

The policy states that within the coming 5 years, Karnataka will have a renewable electricity technology ability of 10 GW. According to the policy, the rooftop solar capacity alone will have a share of at least 1 GW by the end of 2027.

Karnataka will be coming up with various renewable power parks, including some hybrid ones. The main motto of the policy is to strengthen Karnataka as a hub for the manufacturing of RE equipment. There will be another target for floating solar power initiatives and hybrid power generation units in the state.

The policy has emphasized the monetary improvement of the state by attracting investments in the renewable sector. There will be unique green energy corridors where the private sector’s participation will increase and the energy will be evacuated from such corridors.

Another goal is to promote electric vehicles (EV) and de-carbonize transportation in Karnataka by means of using easy renewable electricity in this sector.

With several objectives, Karnataka is aiming for all-around inclusive development of RE in the next 5 years, rather than concentrating on just a few technologies.

The proposed policy additionally envisages market advent for a balanced increase in storage capacity that will help to expand renewable power generation. Aimed at enhancing the reliability of electricity supply, ensuring 24×7 availability of renewable energy, and contributing to renewable power plants’ load factor.

A fundamental improvement over the previous few years has been the boon of Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS) infrastructure for RE plants. ISTS enables RE plants to be placed in pan-India, delivering electricity throughout the country’s boundaries by using ISTS infrastructure. But there is some contradiction between the old and new RE policies. The new Karnataka RE Policy (2022-2027) allows the development of mega RE parks at any location pan-India rather than maximizing the size of the solar parks at a particular location.

The policy will also support state’s economic development through encouraging investments in the renewable energy sector. Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has introduced the GEC Scheme (green energy corridor) to bolster evacuation and transmission infrastructure for renewables in the state. Overall, the policy is a huge step in the development of Karnataka as a Centre of renewable energy production and the manufacture of renewable energy technology.