Headline: Govt mulling to invest $1 bn in renewable energy
PTI
New Delhi
Ahead of the Paris climate talks beginning on Monday, Union Minister Piyush Goyal said the government is planning a USD 1 billion private equity fund for the renewable energy sector.
"We are planning a USD one billion private equity fund for renewable energy sector, initially seeded by government companies," the Power and Coal Minister said during the 'Talkathon' event on the Paris conference. He further said the government is also seeking to collect USD 4 billion per year in the next three-four years for a clean energy fund.
The Talkathon was organised to highlight India's efforts in the run up to the UN Climate Change Conference in Paris (COP21). Goyal and Union Minister for Environment, Forests and Climate Change Prakash Javadekar interacted with Twitterati, who asked questions related to the country's participation in COP21. COP21 is scheduled from November 30 to December 11. "India started with a good experiment, Science Express, on climate change," Javadekar said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch International Solar Alliance on November 30, along with President Francois Hollande of France, Goyal added. The purpose of the Solar Alliance is to forge a partnership with countries in the tropical region which receive abundant sunlight, Goyal said. Goyal further said that on the back of falling prices and technological innovations, the government is confident of meeting its 1,75,000 MW renewable energy target by 2022.
"We are engaging with MIT and Australia for developing clean coal technologies," Goyal added. Stating that India is one of the lowest consumers of coal per capita in the world, Goyal said, "In 2015, India consumes what the US was consuming in 1920."
India has been a responsible user of fossil fuels, Goyal said, adding that, "We are taxing carbon more than any other country in the world."
