The Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission was launched on the 11th January, 2010 by our former Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh. The Mission has set the ambitious target of deploying 20,000 MW of grid connected solar power by 2022 and aims at reducing the cost of solar power generation in the country through (i) long term policy; (ii) large scale deployment goals; (iii) aggressive R&D; and (iv) domestic production of critical raw materials, components and products. It has been envisaged to achieve grid tariff parity by 2022.
The Prime Minister has emphasised the importance of the mission as:
“The importance of this Mission is not just limited to providing large-scale grid connected power. It has the potential to provide significant multipliers in our efforts for transformation of India's rural economy. Already, in its decentralized and distributed applications, solar energy is beginning to light the lives of tens of millions of India's energy-poor citizens. The rapid spread of solar lighting systems, solar water pumps and other solar power-based rural applications can change the face of India's rural economy. We intend to significantly expand such applications through this Mission. As a result, the movement for decentralized and disbursed industrialization will acquire an added momentum, a momentum which has not been seen before.”
The objective of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission is to establish India as a global leader in solar energy, by creating the policy conditions for its large scale diffusion across the country as quickly as possible. For this purpose, the Mission has adopted a 3-phase approach: the 11th Plan and first year of the 12th Plan (up to 2012-13) has been considered as Phase 1, the remaining 4 years of the 12th Plan (2013-17) are included as Phase 2, and the 13th Plan period (2017-22) is envisaged as Phase 3. An evaluation of progress, review of capacity and targets for subsequent phases, based on emerging cost and technology trends, both domestic and global, would be undertaken at the end of each plan period, and mid-term during the 12th and 13th Plans.
The first phase of NSM focused on capturing the low hanging options in solar: on promoting off-grid systems to serve rural populations and a modest capacity addition in grid-based systems. This was partly envisaged as a learning experience for the further, ambitious goals. Now, in the second phase, an aggressive capacity ramp-up is targeted. The aim is to create favourable conditions for up-scaled and competitive solar energy penetration in both at the centralized and decentralized levels.
The targets of JNNSM are briefly captured below:
JNNSM capacity addition target
|
S No.
|
Segment
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Target for Phase1
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Cumulative Target for Phase2
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Target for Phase 3
|
|
1.
|
Utility Grid Power including rooftop
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1,000-2,000 MW
|
4,000-10,000 MW
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20,000 MW
|
|
2.
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Off-grid Solarapplications
|
200 MW
|
1000 MW
|
2000 MW
|
|
3.
|
Solar collectors
|
7 million sq. metres
|
15 million sq. metres
|
20 million sq. metres
|
Solar Guidelines
An initiative under the Indo German Energy Programme (IGEP), SOLAR GUIDELINES is a web-based platform for encouraging rapid development of the solar power sector in India by facilitating dissemination of information and latest updates on the development of solar energy projects, policy frameworks announced by Central and state governments from time to time, regulatory framework announced by CERC, Regulations of the MoEF, Contractual Agreements (PPA/PSA), and procedural details of approval and clearances required for timely commissioning of solar projects in the country. It is envisaged to evolve into a one-stop information and facilitation portal for all stakeholders in the solar sector that would help create an investment friendly environment and give a fillip to the sector’s growth.