Solar energy helps boost power generation
Green power is driving the growth in India's electricity generation as total installed solar capacity, including rooftop and off-grid projects, has crossed 10 gigawatts (gW), latest government and market data show. Generation from conventional sources showed an annual growth rate of over 5% in the 11-month period of 2016-2017 financial year, while output from renewable power projects rose more than 26% during this period. Together, the total growth in generation is in excess of 6% from a year-ago period, government data show. Power ministry officials say the net growth figure will be higher as generation data from renewable power projects come with a time lag, and therefore, does not reflect in the Central Electricity Authority's latest report The officials said the total generation this February showed marginal decline than the year-ago period due to the effect of 2016 being a leap year. A day's extra generation in February 2016 affected the February 2017 figure by 3.57%. Had February 2017 also had one extra day, the increase in electricity generation from conventional sources would have been 3.52%, the officials said. Market watchers see renewables continuing to carve a bigger space in the country's generation sphere on the back of the Narendra Modi government's funding push.
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