Solar Mission proposal gets govt nod

The government said on Friday that the Prime Minister's Council on Climate Change has given in-principle approval to the National Solar Mission proposal to achieve a target of producing 20,000 MW of solar power by 2020.

"A draft National Solar Mission document proposing a target of 20,000 MW for solar power by 2020 has received in principle approval of Prime Minister's Council on Climate Change in its meeting held on August 3, 2009," New and Renewable Energy Minister Farooq Abdullah said while replying to a query in Lok Sabha.

Abdullah said that government was planning to add 15000 MW capacity from renewable energy sources during the 11th Plan Period.

By the end of 11th Plan, renewable power capacity is likely to cross 24,000 MW, which would be around 12 per cent of the then installed power capacity in the country.

The minister said that by the end of 13 plan, renewable power capacity would be around 54,000 MW.