Expectations on renewable sector in the Union Budget
POWER & RENEWABLE ENERGY

Expectations on renewable sector in the Union Budget

India's Power Sector has gone through an extraordinary transformation over the last decade achieving ~100% electricity access (for all willing households) and an unprecedented acceleration in Renewable Energy (RE) capacity addition being the major highlights of the success story.

Developing low-carbon assets for future is important, however, scaling the decarbonisation of existing infrastructure, especially in transport, buildings, and industries also needs to be prioritised. A budgetary allocation towards pilot project for creating a Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) demonstration projects for hard to abate industries would be welcome.

Rising Electric Vehicles (EV) sales in the country is an encouraging trend. Continuation and furthering of the momentum created through Faster Adoption & Manufacturing of (hybrid &) Electrical Vehicles (FAME) will be helpful.

Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) is already accelerating Smart Meter adoption and investments towards loss reduction. However, much of our T&D infrastructure is not designed to handle the sharp rise in frequency and magnitude of extreme weather events being witnessed in the recent times. Also, there is an increase in instances of downstream distribution network overloading during summer peak hours due to the unprecedented rise in peak demand over the last two years. Network strengthening to address these issues could be the focus of future capital investment schemes for DISCOMs supported by government of India.

In the last decade, India has successfully led a solar capacity addition program. In FY24, the country witnessed a record addition of 18 GW solar capacity. However, the pace of RE capacity addition needs to treble for achieving the 500 GW target by 2030 set by the Government. In addition to the existing mechanisms put in place, the next phase of growth in RE capacity additions will require 1) Enhanced focus on Corporate RE procurement with effective implementation of Green Open Access regime through favorable charges and Virtual Power Purchase Agreements (VPPA); 2) Continued support to RE manufacturing with integrated ecosystem; 3) Dedicated programs to promote New Innovative Solar applications; 4) Implementation of Distributed RE Obligation and adoption of differentiated tariff framework to promote Distributed RE.

Bringing electricity under the ambit of GST regime can remove current cascading effect of taxes and make input taxes in the entire value chain creditable thereby improving tax efficiency in the sector.

New manufacturing units commencing manufacturing by 31-Mar-2024, enjoy concessional corporate tax rate of 15%. This initiative has been instrumental in attracting investments in manufacturing sector in the country, including those towards solar PV modules, electrolysers, batteries etc. Extending the sunset date beyond 31-Mar-2024 by an additional five years or so will undoubtedly contribute to India?s economic growth.

To assist in funding some of the initiatives discussed above, the Government may also look to standardise and adopt new frameworks of Green Financing. Tax incentives for Green Bonds can help bring down the cost of green financing and encourage investments in energy transition initiatives. Interest income earned by investors in Green Bonds or profits earned by sale/ transfer of Green Bonds may be treated as tax exempt in the hands of the investors. Further the definition of ?Green Bonds? for the purpose of granting such income-tax benefits, may be aligned with the regulatory prescription issued by SEBI.

India's Power Sector has gone through an extraordinary transformation over the last decade achieving ~100% electricity access (for all willing households) and an unprecedented acceleration in Renewable Energy (RE) capacity addition being the major highlights of the success story. Developing low-carbon assets for future is important, however, scaling the decarbonisation of existing infrastructure, especially in transport, buildings, and industries also needs to be prioritised. A budgetary allocation towards pilot project for creating a Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) demonstration projects for hard to abate industries would be welcome. Rising Electric Vehicles (EV) sales in the country is an encouraging trend. Continuation and furthering of the momentum created through Faster Adoption & Manufacturing of (hybrid &) Electrical Vehicles (FAME) will be helpful. Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) is already accelerating Smart Meter adoption and investments towards loss reduction. However, much of our T&D infrastructure is not designed to handle the sharp rise in frequency and magnitude of extreme weather events being witnessed in the recent times. Also, there is an increase in instances of downstream distribution network overloading during summer peak hours due to the unprecedented rise in peak demand over the last two years. Network strengthening to address these issues could be the focus of future capital investment schemes for DISCOMs supported by government of India. In the last decade, India has successfully led a solar capacity addition program. In FY24, the country witnessed a record addition of 18 GW solar capacity. However, the pace of RE capacity addition needs to treble for achieving the 500 GW target by 2030 set by the Government. In addition to the existing mechanisms put in place, the next phase of growth in RE capacity additions will require 1) Enhanced focus on Corporate RE procurement with effective implementation of Green Open Access regime through favorable charges and Virtual Power Purchase Agreements (VPPA); 2) Continued support to RE manufacturing with integrated ecosystem; 3) Dedicated programs to promote New Innovative Solar applications; 4) Implementation of Distributed RE Obligation and adoption of differentiated tariff framework to promote Distributed RE. Bringing electricity under the ambit of GST regime can remove current cascading effect of taxes and make input taxes in the entire value chain creditable thereby improving tax efficiency in the sector. New manufacturing units commencing manufacturing by 31-Mar-2024, enjoy concessional corporate tax rate of 15%. This initiative has been instrumental in attracting investments in manufacturing sector in the country, including those towards solar PV modules, electrolysers, batteries etc. Extending the sunset date beyond 31-Mar-2024 by an additional five years or so will undoubtedly contribute to India?s economic growth. To assist in funding some of the initiatives discussed above, the Government may also look to standardise and adopt new frameworks of Green Financing. Tax incentives for Green Bonds can help bring down the cost of green financing and encourage investments in energy transition initiatives. Interest income earned by investors in Green Bonds or profits earned by sale/ transfer of Green Bonds may be treated as tax exempt in the hands of the investors. Further the definition of ?Green Bonds? for the purpose of granting such income-tax benefits, may be aligned with the regulatory prescription issued by SEBI.

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

DRI Introduces Advanced Fresh Air Solutions for Large Buildings

DRI has unveiled its latest solutions for indoor air quality (IAQ) and energy-efficient ventilation in large enclosed buildings: the Treated Fresh Air Handling Units (TFA) and Dedicated Outdoor Air Systems (DOAS). The TFA units integrate EcoFresh Molecular Sieve Coated Heat Wheels to deliver optimal IAQ while promoting energy savings. The modular design allows additional functions such as cooling, heating, humidification, high-efficiency filtration, mixing, and sound attenuation. Maintenance is minimal, with standard filters and fan assemblies designed for reliability and ease of service. TFA..

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

Dia Mirza-backed Without® Launches FOAK Recycling Plant in Pune

Without®, an impact-first deep-tech material science enterprise, has inaugurated its first-of-a-kind (FOAK) recycling demonstration plant in Pune. The 1,030 sq. m facility can process up to 5 tons per month of “unrecyclable” plastic waste, offering end-to-end operations from material intake and separation to chemical transformation, purification, product manufacturing, and quality testing. The demonstration plant serves as a precursor to a commercial facility planned for next year. The launch follows the successful closure of a $1.9 million (approx. Rs 16.8 crore) seed funding round led ..

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

Capital India Home Loans Rebrands as People Home Finance

"Capital India Home Loans, a wholly owned subsidiary of Weaver Services, has announced its rebranding to People Home Finance Limited, underscoring its vision to build an inclusive, technology-led housing finance company serving India’s vast informal and self-employed segment. The rebranding follows the company’s $170 million investment round announced on 19 August 2025, led by Lightspeed, Premji Invest, and Gaja Capital. The new identity marks the next phase of expansion across Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, with continued investments in branch infrastructure, people, proprietary technology, a..

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Talk to us?