Parliament Question: Dedicated Green Energy Zones

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 161 ANSWERED ON 11.02.2026 DEDICATED GREEN ENERGY ZONES *161. SHRI PUSHPENDRA SAROJ

Will the Minister of New and Renewable Energy be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has taken any in-principle or formal decision to notify dedicated Green Energy Zones for renewable power generation, storage and green manufacturing and if so, the details thereof;

(b) the details of objective criteria finalised for identification of such zones including land availability, grid connectivity, industrial linkage and employment potential;

(c) whether any assessment or inter-ministerial study has quantified the expected district-wise employment, skilling requirements and local value addition arising from proposed Green Energy Zones;

(d) the States which have been identified or are under consideration for such zones, if any; and

(e) the fiscal policy or viability-gap support proposed for State Governments or private developers for zone-level infrastructure, manufacturing units and skill development? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF NEW & RENEWABLE ENERGY AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS, & FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRI PRALHAD JOSHI)

(a) to (e) A statement is laid on the Table of the House. *****Statement referred to in reply to parts (a) to (e) of the Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 161 to be answered on 11.02.2026 regarding ‘Dedicated Green Energy Zones’ asked by Shri Pushpendra Saroj.

(a) to (e) Presently there is no proposal under Ministry of New & Renewable Energy to notify dedicated Green Energy Zones for renewable power generation, storage and green manufacturing.

However, several initiatives have been taken by the Government to support renewable power generation, storage and clean energy manufacturing. Details of such major initiatives are placed at Annexure. *****Annexure referred to in reply to parts (a) to (e) of the Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 161 to be answered on 11.02.2026 regarding ‘Dedicated Green Energy Zones’ asked by Shri Pushpendra Saroj.

Major initiatives taken by the Government to support renewable power generation, storage and

clean energy manufacturing are given below:

(i) Scheme for setting up of Solar Parks and Ultra Mega Solar Power projects is being implemented to provide land and transmission to RE developers for installation of RE projects at large scale.

(ii) Schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM- KUSUM), PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, National Programme on High Efficiency Solar PV Modules, New Solar Power Scheme (for Tribal and PVTG Habitations/Villages) under Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM JANMAN) and Dharti Aabha Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan (DA JGUA), National Green Hydrogen Mission, Viability Gap Funding (VGF) Scheme for Offshore Wind Energy Projects have been launched.

(iii) MNRE is undertaking the activity of declaring Renewable Energy Potential Zones to facilitate the development of renewable energy capacity across the country. Till date, MNRE has declared Renewable Energy Potential Zones of 333.6 GW, beyond 500 GW target, in 5 States.

(iv) The Government is implementing the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for High Efficiency Solar PV Modules, for achieving domestic manufacturing capacity of Giga Watt

(GW) scale in High Efficiency Solar PV modules, with an outlay of Rs. 24,000 crore. Under the Scheme, Letters of Award have been issued for setting up of 48,337 MW of fully/ partially integrated solar PV module manufacturing units.

(v) Under some of the current schemes of the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy, namely CPSU Scheme Phase-II, PM-KUSUM Components B & C, and PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, wherein government subsidy is given, it has been mandated to source solar PV cells and modules from domestic sources.

(vi) The Government has imposed Basic Customs Duty (BCD) on import of solar PV cells, solar PV modules, solar inverters, and solar glass.

(vii) The Government has exempted Basic Customs Duty on import of goods specified in List 18 of Notification No. 45/2025-Customs dated 24th October 2025, for the manufacturer of solar PV cells and modules.(viii) Notified Guidelines for Procurement and Utilization of Battery Energy Storage System

(BESS) as part of Generation, Transmission and Distribution assets, along with Ancillary Services.

(ix) Issued National Framework to promote Energy Storage Systems in the country.

(x) Issued Guidelines to promote Pumped Storage Projects (PSP).

(xi) Granted 100% waiver of Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS) charges for PSP for which construction work is awarded on or before June 30, 2028 and also for co-located BESS projects, commissioned on or before 30th June 2028, with certain conditions.

(xii) In March 2024, approved a Viability Gap Funding (VGF) Scheme for the development of large-scale BESS with an outlay of ₹3,760 crore for the development of 13,220 MWh, at a VGF of ₹27 lakh per MWh.

(xiii) In June 2025, approved another VGF Scheme for 30 GWh, funded through ₹5,400 crore from the Power System Development Fund (PSDF), at a VGF of ₹18 lakh per MWh.

(xiv) Earmarked 10 GWh capacity for Grid Scale Stationary Storage applications under the “National Programme on Advanced Chemistry Cell (ACC) Battery Storage".

(xv) Issued an Advisory on ‘Co-locating Energy Storage Systems with Solar Power Projects to enhance grid stability and cost efficiency’.

(xvi) Government is implementing skill development initiatives under the programmes such as Surya Mitra, Varun Mitra and Vayu Mitra.