India to Add 17 GW Renewable Energy in 2012-17

India plans to add 17,000 megawatts, or 17 gigawatts, of renewable-based power generation capacity between 2012-17, requiring an investment of up to 1.5 trillion rupees ($33.8 billion), as the country attempts to bridge its energy deficit and move to cleaner energy sources, the renewable energy secretary P. Uma Shankar said Thursday.

India, the world's second-fastest growing major economy, is aiming for double-digit gross domestic product growth in the next few years, which needs to be sustained with massive energy supplies.