As per the information given by the union minister for power and Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), the MNRE is implementing the “Renewable Energy Research and Technology Development Programme”. The programme is undertaken for promotion of indigenous technology development for widespread deployment of new and renewable energy, including ocean energy in an efficient and cost-effective manner across the country.
National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), an autonomous research and development institute under the Ministry of Earth Sciences is implementing an Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) desalination plant at Kavaratti in Lakshadweep, powered by about 65 kW power generated from OTEC.
In November 2022, MNRE organised a seminar on the “National Bio Energy Programme” in New Delhi in partnership with UNIDO and GEF, as part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. During the inaugural session, the union minister of power and new and renewable energy unveiled the compendium of the National Bio Energy Programme and launched the Biourja and Biogas portals. The minister enumerated the importance of bioenergy for providing clean cooking through biogas, co-firing in thermal power plants by utilising biomass pellets and briquettes and bio-CNG for transport. He emphasised that the benefits of utilisation of surplus biomass should reach the rural household by way of an additional source of income for farmers.
