India may need to add 25-30 GW of thermal power capacity to meet future requirements, said power minister RK Singh. The country’s electricity demand is rising and will continue to grow. Currently, India doesn’t have round the clock renewable power so thermal power plants are required, he said at a conference on clean energy. India also has an ambitious target of 500 GW of non-fossil fuel based power capacity by 2030. For renewable energy, 88 GW of capacity is currently under construction and around 180 GW capacity is established. The government has laid down a strategy to add 50 GW of renewable energy capacity annually for five years starting this financial year. India will also launch a pilot project using green hydrogen as storage for round the clock power with a capacity of 100 MW. The cost of such storage-based power is estimated to be cheaper compared to the average price on power exchanges. If successful, India will establish a benchmark and position itself as a global leader in this sector. The country aims to be the largest producer and exporter of green hydrogen and ammonia in the world. India’s recent memorandum of understanding with Saudi Arabia is expected to bring investment in the energy sector and encourage Indian companies to invest in the Middle East nation.