karnataka

The State’s capacity addition plans seem inadequate to meet projected demand in the next 5 years. If the current situation continues, the State is likely to face about 21-26% annual energy shortfall (12,000 – 18,000 Million units) and 15-17% peak shortfall (~ 2000 MW) in the short-term (2 years) and 13-8% (~10,000 Million Units) and 16% (~2500 MW) in the medium term (5 years). This is after  accounting for all likely capacity addition. This implies that the State will have to rely on widespread load shedding or rely on short-term power purchases.

Adoption of energy efficient measures would result in reduced demand for energy and thus lower emissions. This is perhaps the lowest hanging fruit among mitigation options. Lower demand translates into reduction in the addition of generation capacity. Towards achieving this, the Bureau of Energy Efficiency, Ministry of Power of Government of India, is working towards setting targets for industries and household appliances .Stringent implementation and adoption of mitigation measures can result in significant lowering of energy consumption and carbon emissions.

Urbanisation in India today is synonymous with booming unplanned and unsustainable mega cities .To mitigate the impact of this urban explosion and plan for the future, it is imperative to balance the demands of high growth on one hand and ensure sustainable growth on the other.

Despite high targets and comprehensive policies, the deployment of renewable energy technologies has faced significant barriers in Karnataka during the past five years. This is because of the large disconnect that exists between central policies on renewable energy and regional needs. There is a need for subnational governments to play a more proactive role in renewable energy deployment.

Sustainable urbanization using high speed rail (HSR) in Karnataka, India.