The Indo-German Energy Forum (IGEF)’s Subgroup II (SG2) – Renewable Energies meeting was held on the 15th May, 2019 at the Intersolar Europe in Munich, Germany. The meeting was co-chaired by Mr Wolfdieter Bōhler, Head of Division, German Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy (BMWi) and Mr Jatindra Nath Swain, MD, Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI), Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India. The meeting was attended by participants comprising different stakeholders like Central Government Ministries (MNRE, BMWi, BMU and BMZ) and Associations representing key industry players from Germany and India (IGCC/AHK/NSEFI/BSW).

Mr Jatindra Nath Swain outlined his appreciation for the long cooperation between India and Germany in the field of energy. He emphasized that India’s renewable energy capacity targets of 175 GW by 2022 will ensure greater energy security while contributing substantially to achieve India’s climate goals. India has recently achieved to install 78 GW of renewable energy capacity doubling its existing capacity in 4 years only. Transparent bidding and facilitation for procurement of solar and wind power through tariff based competitive bidding process have led to significant reduction in cost of solar, as reported. Furthermore, the MNRE had introduced Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO), a provision aimed to encourage even coal based thermal power generators like NTPC to diversify in a renewable energy portfolio.

Mr Wolfdieter Bōhler in his welcome remarks shared electricity sector developments including the challenges in Germany’s electricity grid expansion for RE evacuation. Germany has achieved more than 40% annual electricity share from mainly wind and solar. Transporting the electricity from renewable energy sources across the country remains a challenge. It was also highlighted that the Government of Germany has received the recommendations of a high-level committee on phasing out coal, the “Coal Commission” Report, including a time table to achieve the phase out of coal by 2038 latest (see more in articles below). 

Ongoing and completed activities under priority issue Solar and Wind Energy implemented or initiated by IGEF were presented. Highly appreciated input was given by Mr J K Jethani, Director MNRE. Mr Daniel Etschman from German Development Bank KfW and Mr Jorg Gabler, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) as well as Ms. Elena Ammel, Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) gave an overview on ongoing cooperation under the Indo-German Solar Partnership. Topics for further cooperation identified included AgroPV, storage, upcoming solar niche markets like SelfPV, O&M of solar, Wind Repowering amongst others.