Gandhinagar:  On the World Environment Day, the Gujarat government has announced the success of achieving a 55% reduction in carbon emissions in energy production after the implementation of New Solar Policy 2021. The state government initiated the Gujarat Solar Policy 2021 on 29 December 2020 and in the last 2.5 years, 9.32 million tonnes of less carbon has been emitted in energy production across Gujarat.

While talking about the contribution of the Department of Energy towards environment conservation, on World Environment Day, GUVNL (Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Limited) stated, “Due to a significant increase in the installed capacity of renewable energy in Gujarat, there is a need to reduce dependence on conventional ways of energy production. Consequently, there has been a substantial reduction in carbon emissions from energy production in Gujarat. If we examine the figures, there has been a decrease of 26.74 million tonnes of CO2 emissions in April 2023 compared to a decrease of 17.42 million tonnes in December 2020. Additionally, following the announcement of the Solar Policy, GUVNL has secured agreements for 6180 MW of solar power and 1100 MW of wind power. This will lead to an estimated reduction of 11.06 million tonnes of CO2 emissions over the next three years.”

Detailed Framework for Low CO2 Emissions being prepared by Gujarat’s Decarbonization Cell

The Gujarat government has prioritized the reduction of carbon emissions on a daily basis. To further this objective, the state government established a dedicated Decarbonization Cell in 2022. This specialized cell operates under the purview of the Gujarat Energy Training and Research Institute (GETRI) and comprises accomplished officers from various domains, including energy transmission, energy production, distribution, finance, and commerce. These expert officers work with a long-term vision, focusing on crucial aspects such as decarbonization and achieving a net-zero state in Gujarat.

Renewable energy replaces conventional energy production in Gujarat

The share of renewable energy, comprising solar, wind, and hydro energy, accounted for 35% of the energy mix in Gujarat, with an installed capacity of 13,039 MW as of December 2020. This capacity has increased to 20,432 MW by April 2023, representing a rise of 44% in the total energy share. The state government aims to enhance the installed capacity of renewable energy to 80% by 2030. To add, the government intends to meet 50% of the state’s energy requirements through renewable energy sources.

GUVNL has passed two tenders and engaged in multiple discussions to establish approximately 2379 MWh of Energy Storage Systems (ESS).

Moreover, GSECL (Gujarat State Electricity Corporation Limited) has identified 33 sites and 8 reservoir locations suitable for Pumped Storage Plants (PSP) across Gujarat. Additionally, NHPC (National Hydro Electric Power Corporation Private Limited) has taken the initiative to complete feasibility studies for all 41 identified locations within a span of 1.5 months.

In line with Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s goal to achieve 50% carbon-free energy and 100% electric vehicle usage in India by 2030, the Gujarat government has taken a significant step by signing an MoU with the Tata Group on 2nd June 2023, for manufacturing of lithium-ion cells. With this, Gujarat will become the first state in the country to initiate the production of lithium-ion cells. DeshGujarat