Punjab organised an impressive session on ‘Bio-Ethananol / Bio-CNG technology- a new era of green energy revolution in the State’, on the concluding day of the second Global Renewable Energy Investment Meeting and Expo (RE’INVEST-2018) organised by Ministry of New and Renewable Energy at Greater Noida.Giving details, a spokesman of government of Punjab informed that RE’INVEST is a platform to scale up renewable energy by providing a connect to global investment community with Indian energy stakeholders.The three-day Conference included discussions on renewables, cleantech and future energy choices and an Expo of renewables-related manufacturers, developers, investors and innovators. The Punjab session was chaired by Mr. Anirudh Tewari, Principal Secretary, New and Renewable Energy and was co-chaired by Mr.Anil Dhussa, former Advisor MNRE, GoI.On the occasion, Mr. Tewari gave a presentation on Punjab Government’s Initiatives to Implement Clean & Green Energy in the state with a special focus on Bio-Ethanol and Bio-CNG technology for transition to a low carbon future. He informed that the State produces more than 15 million tonne of rice straw.
This crop residue is now being utilized for power generation in the biomass power projects and the same is now contributing to the farmer's income and the State economy.He further informed that the State NRSE Policy envisages a potential of 1100 MW generation from biomass based projects including co-generation by 2022. The total installed non solar RE capacity is 673 MW as on August 2018. In addition, the state is providing slew of incentives for setting-up of NRSE projects such as 100% exemption from payment of fee and stamp duty for registration/lease deed charges for the land required for the project,100% exemption from payment of CLU and EDC for the land required for Renewable Energy Power Projects and 100% Electricity Duty exemption for power consumed from state licensee during construction and testing of the project.He said that Punjab is specially focusing on setting-up of Bio-energy projects (bio-CNG, bio-ethanol & biomass) and has taken major initiatives by signing of MOU's with various companies such as Hindustan Petroleum, Indian Oil Corporation, Verbio, Mahindra, Neway etc.