Centre to support TREDA for developing renewable energy sources

Agartala, Dec 12 (UNI) The Tripura Renewable Energy Development Agency (TREDA) has planned to maximally develop domestic supply options and diversify energy sources.

TREDA Additional Director Sumanta Chakraborty said here today that the Union New and Renewable Energy Ministry would support research, design and development activities in various areas of renewable energy, including solar energy, in the country and Tripura was trying to avail the benefits.

He said an expert committee, constituted by the Planning Commission, had prepared an Integrated Energy Policy Report (IEPR), covering all sources of energy, including renewable energy, in the country and more than 550 projects had been financially supported by the Ministry.

It also projected that renewable energy might account for five to six per cent of the country's energy production by 2031-32.

The distributable nature of renewable energy could provide many socio-economic benefits to the country, especially in remote and rural areas, though the recommendations of the IEPR were yet to be accepted, the committee observed.

Referring to the Ministry's latest initiative, Mr Chakraborty said Rs 1,500 crore had been proposed to be sanctioned for research, design and development during the 11th Five Year Plan, while guidelines for supporting and accelerating the manufacture and deployment of various renewable energy systems, including solar energy, had been put in place.

Besides, during the 11th Plan period, various financial incentives had been proposed to promote solar energy systems and devices and Tripura had been placed in the priority list, Mr Chakraborty added.

UNI