The Minister of New & Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi on Thursday suggested creating a taskforce, in consultation with the Power Ministry, to tackle issues such as land acquisition and transmission infrastructure, in a bid to achieve the target of 500 gigawatt (GW) installed non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030.

Joshi, who inaugurated a Chintan Shivir in Bhubaneswar on Thursday, emphasised that the target of 500 GW by 2030 is not merely a goal but a “clarion call for action”.

During his address, the Minister proposed the formation of a task force, in consultation with Power Ministry, to align the efforts of all stakeholders towards meeting the 500 GW target.

Top government officials, industry experts and stakeholders are participating in the two-day brainstorming session, which has been organised by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).

Joshi outlined the key issues raised by stakeholders including challenges related to land acquisition, transmission infrastructure, power purchase agreements (PPAs), energy storage and other critical factors affecting the sector.

Chintan Shivir should arrive at a comprehensive solution to all issues and create a roadmap ahead with its collective experience and wisdom to achieve the target of 500 GW, he stressed.

The Minister also expressed optimism regarding the commitments made during the RE-Invest Summit, which collectively amount to over ₹32 lakh crore and 540 GW of renewable energy projects.

He emphasised that these commitments could be translated into reality through concerted collaboration among industry players, government bodies and financial institutions.

Minister of State for New and Renewable Energy and Power Shripad Yesso Naik assured that the government of India would continue to support technological advancements and innovations in the clean energy sector.

MNRE Secretary Prashant Kumar Singh reiterated the Ministry’s commitment to understanding and addressing the challenges of the renewable energy sector. He also acknowledged that organising the Chintan Shivir was one of the first priorities given to him by Joshi, along with the RE-Invest initiative, to ensure the development of policies that are simple, clear and implementable.

Power Secretary Pankaj Agrawal spoke about the various challenges facing the sector, particularly in transmission and energy storage. He urged the Chintan Shivir participants to focus on identifying practical solutions to address these issues.