Mathur Ritika Passi

ance prerogatives to increase clean energy
capacity with the pressing need to provide
access to lifeline energy for all.
The solution to India’s problems of energy
poverty and increasing carbon emissions
may be found by breaking out of the lockin
on large-scale, centralised, grid-based
mitigation action, and instead focusing
on small-scale, off-the-grid, decentralised
arrangements. Solar panels on rooftops,
community-based small hydro projects, LED
lighting schemes for rural homes—all have
the potential to enable access to electricity
for poor rural populations and support
their economic development. Constructing
massive grids for India’s proposed plans of
renewable energy capacity is simply not feasible,
affordable or achievable in the 2015-
2030 time frame considering India’s poor
history with large infrastructure projects. 41
Off-the-grid power will reduce the need for
accompanied infrastructure investments,
remove problems associated with transmission
and distribution of electricity, and
help transition to clean energy systems less
dependent on fossil fuels.
and high costs are deterrents for households
and buildings. 43 More industries need to be
targeted for involvement in the government’s
energy efficiency measures to increase their
impact on India’s energy demand.
India’s challenges of poverty and energy
access go hand in hand. At the same time,
the impacts of climate change to which the
poor are particularly vulnerable mean that
environmental sustainability is crucial for
long-term and effective poverty reduction.
A failure to responsibly participate in the
global mandate to limit carbon emissions
not only compromises India’s contribution
to the achievement of the SDGs, but also
the country’s ability to bring economic
prosperity to its citizens.
The other thrust area for Indian energy
policy should be increasing capacity for
both nuclear power and natural gas. India
has had a long history of successfully and
safely operating nuclear power plants.
Nuclear energy currently forms a big part
of the government’s energy policy and has
the potential to deliver long-term energy
security to the country. Furthermore, nuclear
energy is a source of reliable, affordable
and low-carbon power. It is also unlikely
that any transition of India’s energy system
will move directly, or smoothly, from high
dependence on coal to being powered by
renewable energy. Natural gas may be the
bridge to a clean energy future, given its
high dependability, relative affordability and
lower carbon emissions than coal. The room
for scale-up of natural gas capacity in India
is also quite high. Present installed capacity
is only at 23 GW. 42
Lastly, India’s goals align perfectly with
SDG targets for energy efficiency, keeping in
mind the subsequent fruits of lower costs,
reduced dependence on energy imports and
fewer GHG emissions. However, energy
efficiency technology is still in the nascent
stage of development in India. New technologies
are perceived as risky by industries,
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