The Northeast can address its energy poverty and provide access to clean energy to its communities by harnessing advanced technologies such as bioenergy, solar, wind and small hydro, according to CSE
New Delhi-based think tank Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) called for a decentralised and distributed deployment of renewable energy in the Northeast during a seminar it organised in Shillong on June 23, 2023.
With only eight per cent of India’s total land area, the northeast region possesses a remarkable renewable energy potential of 129 gigawatt (GW), according to the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).
But the region has a long way to go before this potential is realised — currently, the utilisation of RE resources in the region stands at less than four per cent.
To add to this, per capita energy consumption in the northeast is the lowest in the country, with figures amounting to one-third of the national average (488 kWh in 2021).
This energy poverty resembles the situation in some African countries and necessitates immediate action towards developing climate-resilient programmes that incorporate renewable energy.
This was the focus of discussions at the seminar organised by CSE in association with the Association of Renewable Energy Agencies of States (AREAS) under MNRE.
The Meghalaya Non-conventional and Rural Energy Development Agency (MNREDA) hosted the seminar, which was titled Promotion of Clean Energy Access in Northeast India.
Jaychand Shiv, programme director, renewable energy, CSE, said:
Through this seminar, we aim to shed light on the various technologies, policies, and challenges involved in transitioning the northeastern states towards a cleaner and more sustainable energy future. We will explore the existing energy mix in the states and emphasise the importance of shifting towards a decentralised and distributed RE deployment. The focus will be on biogas, compressed biogas, and hybrid mini-grids as key components of this transition.
Abu Taher Mondal, Meghalaya’s minister of power, emphasised on the significance of the recently launched Chief Minister’s Solar Mission. According to him, the Mission’s objective is to promote self-sufficiency in electricity, thereby reducing dependence on the grid and resulting in substantial power savings.
Mondal said relying solely on power purchases is not a viable long-term solution; instead, the key lies in power generation.
Rupert M Momin, chairperson, MNREDA, also spoke at the event. He pointed out that Meghalaya could produce around 400 MW from small hydro energy projects.
The state relies on hydroelectric projects for its power supply, but recent changes in rainfall patterns have posed a challenge, leading to power shortages. “To tide over this crisis, the state is actively pursuing the exploitation of solar energy,” Momin said.
CSE experts conducting the seminar said by harnessing advanced technologies such as bioenergy, solar, wind, small hydro, etc, the region can address its energy poverty and provide access to clean energy to its communities.
“This approach not only contributes to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions but also enhances the region's energy supply, generates income for rural communities, and improves the overall resilience of local societies,” said Shiv.
State government representatives participating in the seminar pointed out that the government of Meghalaya is diligently considering implementation of various decentralised renewable energy projects to ensure energy access for rural and remote communities.
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