Karnataka has gone past global giants like Denmark and the Netherlands in use of renewable energy, becoming the leading Indian state using green power. Karnataka added 5 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy capacity in the last one year alone.
Total installed capacity in Karnataka is 12.3 gigawatts. This amount of energy can provide power close to 10 lakh homes in a year.
In the next ten years, 60 percent of the energy consumed in Karnataka will come from renewable resources, which currently stands at 46 percent.
The state is becoming increasingly dependent on unconventional energy resources since coal prices are on the rise. The source reported that Karnataka government’s policies are supportive of alternate means of energy. Also, bids for renewables’ tenders are low, making these resources more viable.
The Pavagada industrial solar park is currently under construction in the state, which will have a capacity of 2 GW. This would make it the world’s second largest such facility.
The state is diverse in its usage of the green power. A majority of the state’s alternate energy, almost 41 percent, comes is solar. Nearly 21 percent energy is dependent on hydro-electricity, biomass, heat and power co-generation and 38 percent comes from wind energy.
India is one of the top three countries making rigorous investments in renewable energy and aims to add 227 GW of renewable energy capacity by March 2022. Its current standing in the green energy scenario is fifth worldwide, with an installed capacity of 70 GW.
