India Increased Solar Energy Capacity From 2 GW To 160 GW In 12 Years: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that India has increased its solar energy capacity from 2 GW in 2014 to 160 GW now, and the country has set an ambitious target of having 500 GW of renewable energy by 2030.

In his address to the nation on the 8oth Independece Day, Modi said, "It is difficult to build a new world. That is why, whether it is a chip, AI, or data centre, we need electricity in large quantity. The new era demands energy." He said that the government has taken strong measures in this direction (of achieving energy security) by putting a lot of effort towards alternate energy (renewable) sources.

Earlier, the country's solar energy capacity was only two GW, and today it is 160 GW, the prime minister said.

He also noted that 50 lakh households have been covered under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana (rooftop solar).

Thousands of consumers are earning through power generated from rooftop solar systems, he added.

Beneficiaries under the scheme get a subsidy of up to ₹80,000 per household for installing rooftop solar systems.

The prime minister said that electrification of the railway network, which was just 30% in 90 years till 2014, has now been completed.

This helped India save diesel and reduce imports, he said.

The prime minister also said that the country has started a hydrogen train.

Also, he said that nuclear energy is vital to achieve energy security.

India has passed the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy (SHANTI) Act and set a target of 100 GW nuclear power by 2047, he said.

The country has achieved expertise in nuclear technology, and in this decade, it aims to operationalise five nuclear reactors, he said, adding that India has taken a big leap towards becoming self-reliant in nuclear fuel.

The government has allowed oil and gas exploration in no-go areas in the sea and allocated ₹85,000 crore for this purpose, he said.

The prime minister said that in 2014, only 70 cities have piped gas supply service, and now the number has increased to 700 cities.

Earlier, 22 lakh households used to get PNG supply, and now 1.75 crore families are getting the service, he added.