Washington, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday discussed India’s renewable energy landscape with Mark Widmar, CEO of First Solar, and welcomed the leading US-based manufacturer of solar panels to invest in the country.
India currently has the world’s fastest-growing solar energy programme and has expanded access to clean cooking fuel to cover over 80 million households, making it one of the largest clean energy drives globally.
“The subject of solar energy is very close to my heart, because it concerns the future of our planet. Met the CEO of @FirstSolar, Mr. Mark Widmar and discussed why India is the right destination to invest in solar energy. Also talked about our green hydrogen mission,” Modi tweeted.
Earlier, the Ministry of External Affairs said Prime Minister Modi discussed India’s renewable energy landscape with Widmar.
Widmar shared plans to use the Indian government’s ambitious production linked incentive (PLI) scheme for manufacturing solar power equipment with unique thin-film technology and integrating India into global supply chains, it added.
The Rs 4,500-crore PLI scheme for solar photovoltaic modules is expected to help India ramp up its domestic manufacturing capacity. The scheme is expected to add 10-gigawatt (GW) capacity of integrated solar photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing plants.
Prime Minister Modi in February had invited global firms to take advantage of the PLI schemes and expand their manufacturing in India.
During his interaction with Widmar, Modi spoke about the one world, one sun and one grid initiative and its potential, sources said.
The prime minister referred to India’s ambitious target of 450 GW of renewable energy. He also emphasized on India’s focus on manufacturing for solar energy and said that companies in the field of solar energy can take maximum advantage of the PLI schemes, they said.
Modi also spoke about India’s green hydrogen mission.
According to the sources, Widmar praised India’s policies for climate change and related industries. The First Solar CEO said all countries should emulate what India has done in climate change.
Both Modi and Widmar agreed on enhancement of the manufacturing of solar panels in India, the sources said, adding that the move will also benefit the countries in the region.
Source: energy.economictimes.indiatimes.com
