The energy sector in India is impacted by certain key market trends, including unprecedented growth of renewable energy sources and advent of new technologies like electric vehicles and rooftop photovoltaic. These trends create uncertainty in the sector and require regulatory and policy changes to accommodate the increasing penetration of renewables into the grid. In this regard, CSTEP has identified two main challenges: smooth transition of state utilities to renewable energy and development of robust operational processes for long-term sustainability of distribution companies. Our work aims to explore the potential of states to meet renewable energy targets and strategise with government bodies for policy implementation at both state and national levels.
Does Nuclear Energy Really Hold Promise for India's Clean Energy Transition
At the recently concluded 29th Conference of the Parties or COP29, several critical issues were discussed. Nuclear energy was also a key topic, following the COP28 commitment by 22 countries to triple nuclear capacity by 2050. This year saw more countries entering the above commitment, taking the total count to 31, while the discussions mostly delved into the details of advancing nuclear energy, emphasising strategies for attracting investments, strengthening cross-border partnerships and identifying ways to deploy small modular reactors (SMRs) for energy-intensive sectors.
Addressing the gaps in PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana
India launched a landmark scheme, the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, in February this year, to support the uptake of rooftop solar photovoltaics (RTPVs) in the country. Under this scheme, residential households are eligible for a subsidy of INR 30,000 per kilowatt (kW) for the first 2 kW and INR 18,000 per kW for an additional capacity of up to 3 kW. With over 1.28 crore registrations and 14.84 lakh applications, the scheme has garnered remarkable interest as highlighted in the recent union budget.
Intern
This role offers a unique opportunity to understand the intricacies of the generation and distribution operations in the power system and contribute to a higher integration of renewable energy sources into the energy mix. It also provides an opportunity to deep-dive into initiatives for the seamless integration of electric vehicles and rooftop solar technologies into distribution networks.
Responsibilities
• Conduct literature reviews, and collect, analyse, and tabulate data based on project requirements.
Powering India’s economic and energy growth: A sustainable approach
India, the fifth largest economy in the world, is ambitiously striving to achieve a USD 5-trillion economy in the near future, positioning itself among the top three global economies. This has been possible due to the remarkable growth in India’s GDP over the past 18 years. As per NITI Aayog, India’s GDP increased from INR 42.6 lakh crore in the financial year (FY) 2006–07 to INR 295.4 lakh crore in FY 2023–24.
Key Amendments: Highlights of the draft DSM regulations, 2024
The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) issued the Draft Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (Deviation Settlement Mechanism [DSM] and Related Matters) Regulations in April 2024. The commission found that the existing DSM pricing structure was leading to over-incentivisation of deviations from scheduled transactions, resulting in suboptimal grid operations and impacting grid stability. Generators were using DSM as a market medium rather than a tool to avoid frequency deviations and ensure grid stability.
The power distribution sector: The final challenge to India’s green transformation
While clean power generation is crucial, India’s energy transition requires concerted efforts from all actors in the power sector value chain. This book chapter explored the critical role of India’s distribution companies (DISCOMs) where operational, financial, and political challenges accumulate. After presenting the institutional genesis of Indian DISCOMs, we discussed these issues and shed light on the strengths and opportunities of DISCOMs in enabling a successful transition to a clean energy future.
A customised strategy can take Kerala’s power sector towards its net-zero goals
The progress towards India’s ambitious net-zero goals requires that all states contribute to it. Some states have been quite proactive, announcing their own (state) net-zero targets. Kerala is one of the first states to do this, besides Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and a few more. While India has pledged to achieve net zero by 2070, Kerala aspires to do so by 2050, along with an aim to meet 100% of its energy needs through renewable energy (RE) sources by 2040.
Green Energy Open Access: Empowering Consumers With Clean Electricity
India’s commitment to reach net zero by 2070 and meet 50% of its cumulative installed capacity from non-fossil fuel energy resources is a significant milestone in its fight against climate change. India has also updated its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to reduce emissions intensity of its gross domestic product (GDP) by 45 percent by 2030 (from 2005 levels). One of the initiatives to achieve these targets is to increase the share of renewable energy (RE) in the energy supply mix.