Ahmedabad, Dec 25 (PTI) The Gujarat government on Thursday unveiled policies on renewable energy and green hydrogen with an aim to establish the state as a clean energy hub, to diversify its portfolio in the sector with the larger goal of addressing the challenges posed by climate change.
These policies - 'Integrated Renewable Energy Policy 2025' and 'Gujarat Green Hydrogen Policy 2025' - seek to ensure a rapid transition towards clean and sustainable energy systems.
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel unveiled the two policies at an event held in state capital Gandhinagar on Good Governance Day, observed on 25 December to mark the birth anniversary of former prime minister late Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Aligned with India's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and the vision of Viksit Gujarat@2047, the renewable energy policy is a step towards establishing Gujarat as a globally competitive clean energy hub by promoting investment, innovation, and grid stability in the renewable energy sector, an official release said.
Building upon the state's legacy of leadership in the renewable energy sector and with the target of achieving more than 100 gigawatts of capacity by 2030, this policy is being announced to make a significant contribution to India's target of achieving 500 gigawatts of non-fossil fuel-based energy capacity by 2030, it said.
A key pillar of this policy is the promotion and integration of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) to ensure large-scale renewable energy integration and grid stability.
Grid-connected and co-located BESS projects along with solar, wind, and hybrid projects have been encouraged under the policy.
Strategic locations for BESS installation will be identified by the state nodal agency (Gujarat Energy Development Agency) in coordination with Gujarat Energy Transmission Corporation (GETCO), State Load Despatch Centre (SLDC), and DISCOMs, the release said.
Under the RE Policy, relaxations have been provided for improvements in commissioning timelines for renewable energy projects, primarily for captive and third-party sale projects.
Commissioning timelines for evacuation infrastructure have been rationalised based on voltage levels instead of project capacity.
Additional time has been permitted for the commissioning of projects and evacuation lines, which will facilitate smoother project implementation.
The RE Policy establishes a supportive framework for wind repowering and refurbishment in alignment with the National Repowering Policy.
Repowering and refurbishment have been permitted without mandatorily dismantling existing wind turbine generators, and the timeline for the same has been extended up to 24 months.
The policy enables on-demand renewable energy connectivity through the Akshay Urja Setu portal and supports the development of new transmission schemes in renewable energy-rich areas.
This policy encourages emerging and advanced renewable energy technologies to diversify Gujarat's clean energy portfolio and accelerate innovation.
These include ocean energy, geothermal energy, concentrated solar thermal (CST), building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) systems, rail and road-integrated photovoltaic (RIPV) applications, agrivoltaics, and vertical-axis wind turbines, which will be supported through pilot projects.
In addition, the policy promotes private sector participation and start-ups, and integrates initiatives for employment generation and skill development in the green energy sector.
With the launch of the Green Hydrogen Policy 2025, Gujarat government aims to make the state a major hub for green hydrogen production while supporting India's broader clean energy and decarbonisation goals, said the release, adding that the policy will remain in effect for the next 10 years.
According to the policy document released by the government, Gujarat aims to achieve a production of up to 3 million metric tonnes per annum (MMTPA) of green hydrogen by 2035.
The policy also envisages the development of around 75 GW of renewable energy capacity and 30 GW of electrolyser capacity.
The government estimates that implementation of the policy could attract investments worth Rs 5 lakh crore over the coming years and generate employment opportunities for around six lakh people, both directly and indirectly.
The policy lays out a comprehensive framework to promote the production, storage, transportation and use of green hydrogen and its derivatives such as green ammonia and green methanol.
Green hydrogen is produced using renewable energy sources such as solar and wind, without emitting carbon dioxide. The Gujarat governmentâs policy focuses on creating an enabling environment for large-scale green hydrogen production and downstream use by industries.
A major highlight of the policy is the provision of a single-window facilitation mechanism to streamline approvals and clearances for green hydrogen projects.
The state government will give priority to green hydrogen projects in the state-owned industrial estates and investors will be supported with infrastructure requirements such as power connectivity and water supply.
For electrolysis-based projects, BESS and oxygen bottling plants, the policy offers a 20 per cent capital subsidy. A similar capital subsidy will also be offered to biomass-based green hydrogen projects, said the release.
To promote the use of green hydrogen, the state government will provide a 30 per cent capital subsidy to 20 green hydrogen refueling stations. Moreover, MSMEs will be eligible to get Rs 50 per kg subsidy for adopting green hydrogen for their energy needs.