Fighting for clean energy in Maharashtra

Maharashtra: A group of multi party MLAs from the state of Maharashtra met the Honb’le Chief Minister Shri Devendra Fadnavis in Nagpur, requesting him to take steps to address a combination of institutional, policy and finance-related issues to accelerate the development of renewable energy sector in the state for the purpose of increasing renewable energy utilisation, ensure energy access, energy security and sustainable growth in the state. The network submitted an Expert report and Memorandum on ‘RE Energising Maharashtra: An Assessment of Renewable Energy Policies, Challenges and Opportunities’ along with Guidelines for Model Renewable Energy Policy in the State. The expert report, commissioned by Climate Parliament and prepared by IIT Mumbai, is a comprehensive and up-to-date analysis of renewable energy policy and planning in the State.

According to the Memorandum, there is a need for a comprehensive State RE policy which can promote integrated development of all feasible resources in the state for both electric and non- electric applications. There should be a State cooking Energy mission where increased emphasis should be given on accelerating the use of modern sources of energy including sustainable and clean cooking system backed by fuel supply chain. Maharashtra was one of the first states to make some policy developments in the renewable energy sector. Still, its existing policy (New Policy for Power Generation from Non-Conventional sources of Energy, 2008) does not have any provisions for development of critical renewable energy resources such as solar energy and waste to energy.

As the convenor of the Climate Parliament group in the Maharashtra Assembly, Jay Kumar Rawal MLA, noted: "Maharashtra has a huge potential to lead the renewable energy revolution in the country. Our new Government is committed to promote this sector in both urban and rural areas by taking some key initiatives. We will accelerate its utilization in both power generation and non electric applications to meet the rising energy demand from all sectors in the state".