K'taka among top three in installed wind capacity key to India’s energy transition Union Ministry

Bengaluru, Aug 13 (PTI) Karnataka is among the top three states for installed wind capacity and has played a crucial role in India’s energy transition journey, which in June reached 50 per cent of its installed electricity capacity from non-fossil fuel sources ahead of schedule, Sudeep Jain, Additional Chief Secretary (ACS), Ministry of New & Renewable Energy, Government of India, said on Wednesday.
    Jain was addressing, via video conferencing, the opening session of 'Renewable Energy Transition for Commercial and Industrial Consumers in the Southern Region', organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and AMPIN Energy Transition in Bengaluru.
    “Tamil Nadu and Karnataka are among the top three states for installed wind capacity, together contributing nearly 20 gigawatts. They played a starring role in India’s achievement in energy transition five years ahead of schedule,” Jain said.
    The seminar, organised in collaboration with Deloitte and Sumitomo Corporation, brought together industry leaders, policymakers, and commercial and industrial (C&I) consumers to discuss the roadmap to achieve 100 per cent renewable energy for C&I consumers in South India.
    Jain urged industry leaders from the South to focus on localising manufacturing. “We are today the largest manufacturer of solar modules in the world outside China, but let’s master not just modules, but also batteries, inverters, electrolysers, and wind components,” he added.
    In a video message, Ghanshyam Prasad, Chairperson, Central Electricity Authority (CEA), Government of India, said the CEA is committed to guiding this monumental shift towards a cleaner, more sustainable future.
    “We’re committed to grid reliability, seamless renewable integration, and strategic storage deployment, creating an enabling environment for all stakeholders to accelerate India’s sustainable, energy-secure future,” he added.
    Delivering the inaugural address, Gaurav Gupta, Additional Chief Secretary, Energy Department, Government of Karnataka, said over 70 per cent of the state’s installed capacity is already sourced from green power.
    “We recognise the immense potential of the C&I sector to accelerate our green transition. Our state policies are meticulously designed to empower C&I customers to embrace renewables through open access and innovative solutions,” he said.
    Sharing views via a video call, Aneesh Shekhar, Managing Director, Tamil Nadu Green Energy Corporation Limited (TNGECL), Government of Tamil Nadu, said Tamil Nadu’s rapid growth in solar has been significantly powered by C&I consumers.
    “Their robust participation, largely through open access, has been a win-win, enabling the state to green its grid without capital expenditure while offering substantial tariff benefits,” he said.
    Shekhar said Tamil Nadu is now looking to push its advantage further by focusing on Battery Energy Storage Systems.
    “The next vital phase of our energy transition hinges on how we integrate C&I consumers into this burgeoning storage market. We are actively evolving policies and regulations to facilitate C&I participation. Storage is the most critical infrastructure to achieve our ambitious goal of 30 GW of storage by 2030,” he said.
    Earlier, in his opening address, Pinaki Bhattacharyya, Co-Chair, FICCI Renewable Energy CEOs Committee and Founder, CEO & Managing Director, AMPIN Energy Transition, said southern India has long been at the forefront of renewable energy adoption and remains a beacon for the nation’s green future.
    “Transitioning to 100 per cent renewable energy is not only achievable but also brings compelling economic benefits, including significant energy cost savings,” he said.
    Kamalakar Babu, VC and Managing Director, New and Renewable Energy Development Corporation of Andhra Pradesh, and Pankaj Kumar Pandey, Managing Director, Karnataka Power Transmission Company Limited, Government of Karnataka, presented best practices from their respective states.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)