Development Of ADV-USC Technology for Thermal Power Plants as an R&D Project

A new scheme has been introduced in the Union Budget of 2014-15 for `Development of Advanced Ultra Super-Critical (Adv-USC) Technology for Thermal Power Plants` as an R&D Project. The aim & objective of the scheme is to undertake R&D and other aspects of Adv-USC Technology for Thermal Power Plants in order to improve power plant efficiency (to 45 – 46 %), reduce carbon-dioxide emissions and reduce coal consumption, as well as establishing a demonstration power plant of 800 MW capacity based on the developed technology. The overall cost of the R&D Phase is estimated to be Rs. 1554 Crore. For the Financial Year 2014-15, the Government has made a budgetary provision of Rs. 100 Crore for the project.  Initiative to Encourage States to Utilize Wastelands for Setting up Renewable Energy Projects Government has taken various initiatives which includes setting up of Solar Parks on the banks of canals, Ultra Mega Solar Power Projects, wind power projects for which the States are encouraged to use land including wastelands depending on availability and resources. This was stated by Sh. Piyush Goyal, (Minister of state for Power, Coal & New and Renewable Energy (Independent Charge) in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha today. Further, The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is providing various fiscal incentive such as generation based incentives, accelerated depreciation, concessional excise and customs duties for the promotion of renewable energy sources in the country. Besides providing financial and fiscal incentives, a few other measures to promote renewable energy include: setting up of demonstration projects, preferential tariff for purchase of power generated from renewable sources, intensive resource assessment, development of power evacuation and testing facilities, introduction of Renewable Energy Certification and Renewable Purchase Obligation, etc. Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency, a Central Public Sector Enterprise under this Ministry, also provides soft term loan for promotion of renewable energy projects. The Minister further stated that the cost of land in renewable energy projects such as wind farms and solar farms/power plants is of the order of 3 to 5 per cent of total project cost. The new Land Acquisition Act may impact the total cost of renewable energy projects. The Minister further stated that the Act stipulates payment of compensation and Rehabilitation and Resettlement package as per First, Second and Third Schedule of the Act. Under the Act, time frame has been prescribed during which various processes are to be completed. A draft National Land Utilisation Policy has been formulated which inter-alia proposes Land Utilization Zones for the purpose of ensuring optimal utilization of land resources, the Minister added. Grid connected solar power plants of 2596 MW aggregate capacity have been commissioned during the last three years across the country as given below This was stated by Sh. Piyush Goyal, (Minister of state for Power, Coal & New and Renewable Energy (Independent Charge) in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha today.A goal for deployment of grid connected solar power capacity of 20,000 MW by 2022  in three phases has been set under the National Solar Mission  (NSM) as under : §  Phase-I (till 2013) : 1000 MW §  Phase-II (2013-17) : 9,000 MW §  Phase-III (2017-22) : 10,000 MW             The Minister further stated that an aggregate capacity of 1686 MW of grid connected solar power plants was commissioned by end of  NSM Phase-I, and further capacity of 1000 MW has been added during NSM Phase-II  as on 30.06.2014, taking the total solar power generation capacity in the country to 2686 MW as on 30.6.2014.