MNRE to Promote Local Manufacturing, Export Hubs for RE: Anand Kumar

MNRE is planning to identify suitable land sites for RE manufacturing and export services hubs in the country to offset the impact of the COVID-19

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has asked state and port authorities to identify suitable land sites for renewable energy (RE) manufacturing and export services hubs in the country to offset the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on India’s heavily import reliant domestic solar industry. The news was announced first MNRE Secretary Anand Kumar.

Taking to twitter Kumar wrote, “All states and ports are requested to identify land parcels of 50-500 acres for setting up renewable energy manufacturing and export services hub.”

In an earlier tweet, Kumar had said that the ministry would provide full support to companies planning to expand or set-up bases in India for the manufacturing and export of services in the renewable energy sector.

Shall provide full support to companies planning to expand or set up base in India for manufacturing and export of services in RE sector. Contact Chairman, RE Industry Promotion and Facilitation Board, [email protected] @PMOIndia @RajKSinghIndia @aanandk27

— Secretary MNRE (@secretary_mnre) April 12, 2020

Many solar industry executives have been saying that the pandemic and its resultant lockdown will impact their business operations in the future. Hence, this step comes as a relief as far as the local manufacturing of renewables is concerned. The Secretary further also wrote that “Happy to inform some leading RE companies have started showing keen interest to set up their base in India for exporting RE Services.”

Recently, the Ministry also announced the extension in deadlines for the approved list of models and manufacturers (ALMM) i.e. both List-I for solar photovoltaic (PV) modules and List-II for solar PV cells by next 6 months. Earlier, the last date for enlistment for both ALMM List-I and ALMM List-II was March 31, 2020, which has been now extended to September 30, 2020.

Prior to that, the Ministry had asked states to continue to buy power from renewable energy producers and clear their dues “on a regular basis as was being done prior to the lockdown”. The MNRE on April 1, 2020, wrote to all states and electricity distribution companies (Discoms) after renewable energy producers complained that some states were curtailing purchase and payment for electricity generated from sources such as solar energy.