NLC India Marks 10 Years in Renewable Energy

NLC India Limited, a Navratna Public Sector Enterprise under the Ministry of Coal, Government of India, is proudly stepping into 10th year of renewable energy generation today. This day marks a significant milestone, as it was on September 28, 2015, that the company embarked on its renewable energy journey by Commissioning a 10 MW solar photovoltaic power plant in Neyveli.

Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, NLC India Limited (NLCIL) is steadily transforming India’s energy landscape. Following the Prime Minister's clarion call in 2015 for a robust shift towards renewable energy as India transitioned from "Megawatts to Gigawatts", NLC India Limited became the first CPSE in the country to generate 1 GW of renewable energy, demonstrating its unwavering commitment to sustainable power generation.

NLCIL, primarily a Lignite based power generating company, has ventured into renewable energy with 1380 MW of solar power plants and 51 MW of wind power plants. NLCIL has generated 1234 Crore Units of Green Energy effectively preventing the emission of 1 Crore Tonnes of Carbon Dioxide, thus providing affordable and sustainable power and enhancing the quality of life for millions.

NLCIL’s corporate plan envisages 10,000 MW Renewable Energy capacity by 2030. To achieve this, NLC India has formed new subsidiaries -. NLC India Renewables Ltd (NIRL) to focus on asset monetization and NLC India Green Energy Ltd (NIGEL) to spearhead clean energy initiatives. Furthermore, NLCIL’s membership in the International Solar Alliance (ISA) underscores its commitment to environmental sustainability within the coal sector.

Under the guidance of Union Minister of Coal and Mines Shri G Kishan Reddy, NLCIL remains at the forefront of renewable energy innovation and has been actively pursuing projects in Solar and Wind power, Energy Storage Systems (ESS), Green Hydrogen, Pumped Storage Hydro projects, Lignite-to-Methanol conversion, mine overburden-to-sand initiatives, and critical mineral exploration.

With a current renewable energy capacity of 1.4 GW, NLCIL is set to quadruple this figure, targeting an ambitious 10 GW by 2030. Significant projects are underway in Neyveli, Barsingsar (Rajasthan), Gujarat, and Assam. Notably, on August 28, 2024, NLCIL signed a 25-year power purchase agreement with Telangana state DISCOMs for 200 MW of solar energy at a competitive price under the Central Public Sector Undertaking (CPSU) scheme.

NLC India Limited is committed to continuing this journey and playing its vital role in achieving the Prime Minister’s goal of net zero by 2070, contributing to a sustainable and aspirational India.