India's renewable energy sector-I: RES to capture 17.12% of generation capacity share by 2017

The share of renewable energy sources (RES) in India's generation capacity is expected to rise from

12.26%, as on March 31, 2012, to 17.12% by the end of the 12th five year plan (2012-17). While the total

installed generation capacity is expected to witness a 60% growth from 2012 to 2017, the total installed RES

capacity is likely to increase by an impressive 122% during the five year period, according to a CEA report on

monthly generation from renewable energy sources.
8Back in 1990, RES capacity was a meager 18 MW and generation during 1989-90 was only 6 MU. As on March 31,

2012, RES capacity stood at 24,503.45 MW and generation during the year 2011-12 is expected to be 51,226 MU

(provisional).
8From 1990 to 2007, the capacity addition of renewable sources has been extremely slow with the total RES

installed capacity forming only 5.86% of the total installed capacity up till March 2007. Since then, the

contribution of renewable energy sources in India's total installed capacity has been growing at a considerable

rate.
8The same trend has been observed for the actual energy generation from renewable sources. From 1990 to 2007,

the contribution of RES in energy generation had grown from 0 to a mere 1.47%. With a more than double growth

in 2007-2008, from 9,860 MU in 2006-2007 to 25,210 MU in 2007-2008, RES contribution went up to 3.46% during

that year.
8Pertinently, the total installed RES generating capacity is expected to reach 54,503 MW by the end of the

12th plan.