Revision summary
NITI Aayog’s 2017 draft NEP folds existing RE and climate pledges into one energy frame. 175 GW by 2022: 100 GW solar, 60 GW wind, 10 GW bio-power, 5 GW small hydro. About 40 per cent non-fossil electricity capacity by 2030 is the Paris-linked target. 24×7 power for all and village electrification are the access companions. Corridors, bidding, and must-run status turn capacity targets into generation.
Model answer
Introduction
NITI Aayog’s draft National Energy Policy, 2017, tried to line Union energy goals with climate pledges and village electrification. On renewables it did not invent a new number from nowhere; it folded the 175 GW programme and the non-fossil capacity pledge into one policy frame.
Body
The 2022 renewable capacity package
- The draft NEP treats 175 GW of renewable electricity capacity by 2022 as a central generation target: 100 GW solar, 60 GW wind, 10 GW bio-power, and 5 GW small hydro.
- Large hydro and nuclear sit beside this package as low-carbon firm power, even though they are not counted inside the 175 GW RE basket.
- 24×7 power for all by 2022 and electricity access in remaining census villages (then targeted around 2018–19) are demand-side companions of the same RE build-out.
2030 climate-linked generation goals
- India’s Paris pledge, written into the NEP discussion, aimed at about 40 per cent of installed electricity capacity from non-fossil sources by 2030.
- Emission intensity of GDP was to fall 33–35 per cent by 2030 over 2005; renewables are the main generation lever for that intensity cut.
- The draft also sought lower oil-import dependence (a 10 per cent cut by 2022 from 2014–15 levels in related Union statements) so that solar, wind, and biofuels displace some liquid fuel in the mix.
Policy instruments named around the targets
- Competitive reverse bidding, solar parks, green corridors, and must-run status for RE were the grid tools expected to convert megawatt targets into actual generation.
- Cooking-energy access (LPG) and efficiency in industry and buildings were listed so that generation targets are not wasted in leaky demand.
Flow diagram
flowchart TD NEP[NEP 2017 NITI draft] --> RE[175 GW RE by 2022] NEP --> NF[40 percent non-fossil by 2030] NEP --> A[24x7 access] RE --> G[Renewable generation] NF --> G A --> G
Conclusion
In the 2017 NEP draft, renewable generation is anchored on 175 GW by 2022 (100 solar, 60 wind, 10 bio, 5 small hydro) and on a 2030 non-fossil capacity share near 40 per cent, tied to 24×7 access and a lower emissions intensity. The targets are capacity and access numbers; they become generation only when corridors, storage, and must-run dispatch work.
Quick related
Students also ask
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Throw light on the ‘Pursuit of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in India’.
Next question in the 2018 paper (Q3). View answer →
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Is 175 GW the same as generation in terawatt-hours?
No. It is installed capacity. Actual generation depends on plant load factor, curtailment, and the grid.
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Does the NEP ignore coal?
No. Coal remains the bulk of present generation; the draft tries to raise RE share while keeping baseload and access.
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