March 22, 2021
To develop a 100% RE roadmap for Goa, the state signed an MoU with the Germany-based Deutsche GIZ GmbH.
The state unit will serve as a think tank, a repository of all relevant data to support the aforesaid roadmap.
GIZ on the other hand will provide technical assistance in setting up of a multi-sectoral strategic unit.
Goa requires approximately 540MW of power during the day and 640 MW during peak time.
In a bid to develop a 100 per cent renewable energy roadmap for the State, Chief Minister (CM) Pramod Sawang led Goa Government has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Germany-based Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. This is aimed at creating a strategic unit to develop, maintain and implement the multi-sectoral energy action plan for the state under the Indo-German program on Access to Energy in Rural Areas. The agreement explicitly states the overall directives of technical operations with the electricity department and the Goa Energy Development Authority, a detailed list of activities will be separately agreed in writing.
The unit will serve as a storage of all relevant data, thus acting as a state think tank. Not only will it develop a 100% RE roadmap, energy plan, energy action plan and appropriate decision support tools for the state of Goa but will also provide technical assistance and support to implement any energy action plans for the state. GIZ on the other hand will provide technical assistance in setting up of a multi-sectoral strategic unit (or PMU) which will ultimately aide in developing the desired 100% renewable energy roadmap and its support tools. It will also provide technical assistance to monitor, report and modify components of this very roadmap through organising periodic steering committee meetings and subsequently providing technical assistance to enforce mutually agreed upon priority activities.
In context to power and energy, the State Government of Goa has two main objectives; While on one hand it must meet the ever-growing power demands in the state, it also must progressively increase the renewables share in the energy – mix of the state. The government has proposed to generate power from renewable sources in the state by assessing the potential to generate power from sources like solar, hydro, biomass, wave and tidal and storage of solar power etc.