Publications : All
Topic
Overview of Climate-Economy and Energy System Models
Mathematical modelling programmes have become indispensable in climate science and policy research, their applications and accessibility need to be highlighted.A Medium-Term Strategy for Transitioning to Net Zero by 2070
This paper assesses the feasibility of India achieving its stated goal of net zero by 2070 and presents a medium-term strategy for what would be required over the next decade to achieve this objective.An Overview of Climate-Economy and Energy System Models
The paper outlines the technical attributes and features of the mathematical modelling programs, such as sectoral coverage, economic growth assumptions, modelling algorithms, optimisation methods, etc., with an emphasis on the usability and scalability of the models.Achieving Catalytic Impact with the Resilience and Sustainability Trust
A new policy brief from the Task Force on Climate, Development and the IMF seeks to improve the RST’s design by taking stock of the early experiences of RST programs.Do Electricity Distribution Franchisees Work? It’s High Time for a...
As the energy transition unfolds, the role of the discom is transforming.Developing World Must Raise Own Climate Finance
Developed countries and MDBs can raise just a third of the requirement. Carbon pricing and ETS will have to play a bigger role.Even Under Capitalism, There is Hope for Climate Change Solutions
Vikram Singh Mehta reviews the book book Climate Capitalism: Winning the Global Race to Zero Emissions by Akshat Rathi.India’s Energy Transition
Laveesh Bhandari and Rajat Verma examine the fiscal implications that are to be borne in mind to arrive at equilibrium in the taxes.Three’s not a Crowd for Improved Climate Action
Pooja Ramamurthi argue that partnerships with bridging powers are increasingly vital to unpicking North-South gridlocks and effective climate cooperation.Examining the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism: Issues and Challenges
Effective implementation of the CCTS will enable Indian enterprises to demonstrate their commitment to low-carbon production processes using green technologies, which can reduce CBAM costs and expand green energy-intensive export opportunities in the EU market.Rethinking Franchisee Efficacy in India’s Power Sector: A Critique...
Considering experiences across various states, the paper advises caution in prescribing the IBDF model as a “standard” policy solution for loss reduction.This is What’s Slowing Down the Clean Energy Transition
With Big Oil's 2050 forecast that places oil and gas at the centre of energy basket, it will be difficult, if not impossible, to achieve net-zero carbon emissions targetsCritical Mineral Supply Chains: Trilateral Perspectives from Japan, India...
The Indo-Pacific countries should use their domestic capacities optimally and participate in global supply chains with a diverse range of partner countries in mining, processing, assembling, and final-use activities. India is currently discussing trilateral cooperation with France and Japan.Interview | Fixing Taxi Fares, Bajaj CNG Bikes, Maruti Shares, Hot Money
How will CNG bikes change the two-wheeler industry if it succeeds? Shyamasis Das shares his insights.External Engagements in January 2024
Laveesh Bhandari gave a lecture at the Indian School of Public Policy on January 31, 2024. He shed light on the dynamic nature of public policy and the importance of embracing diverse perspectives and disciplines to tackle real-world problems effectively. | Jan 31 Rajesh Chadha chaired a panel session on “Strategies and ...India’s Climate Diplomacy: New Priorities and Policy Options
This Policy Brief explores how India has transformed into a positive force on the global stage, achieving domestic climate targets and spearheading innovative approaches in climate diplomacy.A Square Peg in a Round Hole
The regulation of state-owned discoms can create challenges. Upon getting conflicting directives from the government and the regulator, such entities prioritise the former’s orders.Quad-ASEAN Technology Cooperation for Critical Minerals Supply Chains
As a part of CSEP's ongoing work on securing critical minerals for India’s green technology and net-zero transition, this analysis incorporates emerging thoughts on Quad-ASEAN cooperation in creating resilient regional supply chains.Interview | Does India Need a Climate Change Resilience Authority?
India is experiencing extreme weather conditions. Is it time for a climate change resilience authority?External Engagements in December 2023
Rakesh Mohan was panelist for the session on “India, Pakistan and Bangladesh: Where did their growth trajectories diverge?” at the Pathways to Development Conference hosted by CDPR | Dec 18 Constantino Xavier and Riya Sinha presented their paper on “Strengthening India’s Land Linkages Around the Bay of Bengal” at MP-IDSA’s 15th ...Structural Reforms to Improve Regulation of Indian Electricity...
Daljit Singh's working paper examines the regulatory framework of the Indian power sector, often criticised for contributing to the financial strain of electricity distribution companies.Was CoP-28 a Cop-out or Did the Conference Achieve Something?
CoP meetings have routinely talked of the need for a fair and just transition, consistent with the principles of "common but differentiated responsibilities" but they never discussed how to apply it in practice.Simulating the Socio-Economy-Environment Impacts of Ecotaxes in India: An...
Pricing carbon, either directly or indirectly, provides a price incentive to producers to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, it is important to examine the impact of such governmental policies on the economy, emissions, and particularly households, who will bear the incidence of such taxes.Compensating for the Fiscal Loss in India’s Energy Transition
The study argues for the need to consider multiple factors, including efficiency, equity, sustainability, institutional considerations, and the possibility of reducing expenditures on non-essential goods.How the Psychology of Benjamin Netanyahu, Joe Biden and MBS is Driving Oil...
The dominant drivers of the crude oil market today are not the fundamentals of demand and supply, but the non-fundamentals, the psychology of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Joe Biden and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.External Engagements in November 2023
Riya Sinha was panelist at the discussion on “Improving India’s Ease of Trading Across Borders: Opportunities and Challenges in Integrated Check Posts”, at Land Ports Authority of India | Nov 22 Rahul Tongia was invited for the expert discussion for COP28 with the Minister for Environment, Forests, and Climate Change, New Delhi ...Podcast | COP28: Spotlight On Indian Climate Diplomacy
In the last one decade, India has cast itself as being part of the climate solution—which in turn has created the space for diplomatic negotiations.Assessing the Impact of CBAM on EITE Industries in India
This research specifically focuses on the uncertainties surrounding the potential impact of CBAM on trade-exposed sectors with high energy intensity, particularly in developing countries like India.The Poor Should Control Carbon Emissions, But the Rich Must Eliminate Them
If the world must achieve zero emissions by 2050, it’s impractical and unfair to require all countries to reach that goal simultaneously.Climate Diplomacy Must Begin at Home
It is now time to invest in a strategic capacity so that India's climate diplomacy is better equipped to transform prevailing climate commitments into action.Policy Analysis: Mine Closure in India
In India, existing mine closure legislation lacks provisions to adequately address the socio-economic and cultural aspects, highlighting the need for an improved policy paradigm.Going Green in India: Balancing Energy Security and the Energy Transition
This essay examines India’s energy security in the short and medium term and finds that development needs will drive the country’s energy policy, which balances energy security with the energy transition.Developing an Environmentally-extended Social Accounting Matrix for India...
This study tackles the existing research and data gaps regarding pollution generation by incorporating sector-specific data from India’s greenhouse gas inventory.A Cap-and-Trade System will Help Slash Emissions More Efficiently
A key feature of a cap-and-trade system must be a steady reduction in allowances per unit of output over time, calibrated to the net-zero target, write Montek Singh Ahulwalia and Utkarsh Patel.India’s Global Climate Strategy
India’s progress in driving the need for climate mitigation and adaptation has been commendable and swift. A key question is whether results in terms of reduced carbon emissions will arrive.External Engagements in October 2023
Rajesh Chadha was a panelist on a webinar hosted by CEEW and the Ministry of Mines titled “Decoding the G20 Consensus on Critical Minerals for the Energy Transition” | Oct 31 Madhurima Nundy was a discussant at the conference on “Integrating Health and Social Care Services for the Elderly in Asia: A ...On India’s Electricity Consumption
Laveesh Bhandari and Aasheerwad Dwivedi study growth in electricity consumption, the key factors affecting it, and its link with economic activity.CSEP Sustainable Mining Attractiveness Index (SMAI)
The paper highlights the economic importance of mining activities and the need to be environmentally responsible and safeguard the welfare and livelihoods of the local communities.Tracks to Transition: India’s Global Climate Strategy
An increasingly competitive geopolitical context is fragmenting global climate governance and traditional modes of multilateral cooperation. The report maps both what has been done in the past as well as the avenues towards a comprehensive climate strategy built on greater policy coordination and expanded state capacity for India to engage externally.Understanding Time-of-Day and Seasonal Variations in Supply and Demand for...
Rahul Tongia, Aarushi Dave and Utkarsh Dalal study the impacts of times-of-day and seasons on the different types of fuels for generation electricity, their output ramp (swing up or down) rates, daily swings between maximum and minimum output, and relative contributions of each fuel type.Viability of Jharkhand’s Electricity Distribution: Distorted by...
Nikhil Tyagi and Rahul Tongia's paper attempts to examine the structure and legacy of electricity distribution in the state with a lens to examine how that impacts the future viability of the distribution companies (DisComs)Safeguarding Decades of Development: The International Monetary Fund’s...
The policy brief from the Task Force on Climate, Development and the IMF proposes a ‘loss and damage package’ at the IMF that spans its surveillance, lending toolkit and global policy coordination.Harnessing Private Capital for Global Public Goods: Issues, Challenges and...
Gulzar Natarajan and V Anantha Nageswaran make the case that poverty alleviation, growth, and climate-related transition, which require both public and private funds, need to be pursued in parallel.External Engagements in September 2023
Rajesh Chadha, Ganesh Sivamani and Karthik Bansal presented their work on critical minerals at the 19th Central Geological Programming Board (CGPB) Committee-III meeting hosted by the Ministry of Mines. CSEP has also been nominated as one of the permanent invitees to Committee III on Non-Ferrous and Strategic Minerals | Sept 29 Rajesh ...Interview | Are Indian OEMs Shying Away from the Biofuel Push?
What prevents India's original equipment manufacturers (OEM) from transitioning to flex engines? Shyamasis Das discusses the challenges faced, including the high cost of flex engines.Non-Price Policies for Addressing Climate Change: The Global Experience
Renu Kohli, Honey Karun and Saumya analyse the non-price policy measures that aim to lower carbon emissions across the G20 countries.Current Green Transition Solutions Disregard Social and Political...
Institutions have to be built that facilitate global cooperation, skill development and technology transfer and also enable the mediation of the domestic and international conflicts that have been inevitably aroused.External Engagements in August 2023
Rakesh Mohan met the Finance Minister of India Nirmala Sitharaman at the North Block, New Delhi on August 25. Madhurima Nundy attended a workshop at the India International Centre for a project titled “Public-Private Mix in Continuity of Care for Older Persons: Study of Select Countries in ...Interview | How is India Balancing Minerals Exploration and...
Rajesh Chadha discusses critical minerals and its essential role in the manufacturing of green technology for India, in an exclusive conversation with India Stats.Interview | Is India’s plan to buy 10,000 electric buses enough?
Shyamasis Das discusses India’s plan to buy 10,000 electric buses on the Business Standard Morning Show.Environment Policy Needs Federalism to Play a Big Role
How well central and state-level administrations coordinate climate action will determine key outcomes, writes Anoop Singh.Projecting Critical Mineral Needs for India’s Renewable Electricity...
For critical minerals, especially those with no known domestic resources, mineral-wise strategies are required to ensure their robust access for India’s manufacturing needs and climate change mitigation ambitions.The Climate Crisis: What is the Global Way Out?
In the ‘era of global boiling’, challenge can only be met if we act in political, economic, financial concert, says Vikram Singh Mehta.External Engagements in July 2023
Constantino Xavier was speaker at the India-Japan Forum hosted at Ananta Aspen Centre | July 28 Constantino Xavier was a panelist at the launch of the CSEP edited report “Connectivity and Cooperation in Bay of Bengal” organised by Verité Research, Colombo, Sri Lanka | July 24 Constantino Xavier discussed CSEP’s Sambandh ...Properly Defining “Green Electricity” is Key to India’s Broader...
Rahul Tongia highlights the complexities of green supply and green consumption. More RE is inevitable and welcome. Better accounting and signalling (such as time-of-day and congestion pricing) can help grow RE at lower overall system costs.India Hits the Accelerator on Critical-Minerals Security
By joining the US-led Minerals Security Partnership and pursuing other collaborations, India has taken significant steps towards ensuring resilient supplies of critical minerals.Incentivising Mineral Exploration
Rajesh Chadha, Ganesh Sivamani and Karthik Bansal provide recommendations that address the government’s concerns about only granting mineral concessions through auctions.India Seeks to Secure its Green Growth Strategy by Identifying a List of...
In a conversation with Strait Times, Rajesh Chadha and Ganesh Sivamani highlights the importance of the Critical Minerals list by the government as an acknowledgement of how “skewed critical minerals supply chains will impact India’s green transition”, but adds that the government’s attention should now be on securing a supply of these ...How Clearance Processes for Land Mining can be Sped Up
Complexity of the clearance procedures and huge delays in granting them have become impediments to efficient use of mineral resources, write Karthik Bansal and Ishita Kapoor.CSEP Research on Critical Minerals Cited in the Report by the Ministry of...
The Ministry of Mines released the first-ever list of critical minerals for India on June 28. The report referred to key findings from the CSEP Working Paper Critical Minerals for India 2023 authored by Rajesh Chadha, Ganesh Sivamani & Karthik Bansal.External Engagements in June 2023
Riya Sinha was a panelist at ORF Kolkata’s discussion on India and Bangladesh’s Vision of the Indo-Pacific | June 30 Rakesh Mohan was speaker at the discussion organised by Boston University IMF Task Force on Climate Change at IMF, Washington DC | June 21 Laveesh Bhandari was speaker at the webinar on ...India is Adapting to the Shifting Climate Terrain
India has a unique opportunity to use the G20 presidency to drive climate cooperation as crises abound and the desire for deep climate action is dwindling.Power Sector Needs a Regulatory Overhaul
Insufficient regulated tariffs are the dominant reasons for discom cash shortfalls. Fixing this is necessary and urgent says Rahul Tongia, Rajasekhar Devaguptapu and Nikhil Tyagi.Incentivising Non-Fuel Mineral Exploration in India
Rajesh Chadha, Ganesh Sivamani and Karthik Bansal provide an overview of India’s historical, current, and proposed exploration policies, good international practices, issues with the existing system, and recommendations for creating a globally-competitive exploration regime.Interview | Govt Listens When Think Tanks Talk. They are Growing in Clout...
India's aspiration to become a global climate leader is getting a boost from an expanding ecosystem of homegrown policy and research institutes. Here are 10, new and old. | An interview with Laveesh BhandariDiscom Gaps Need Urgent Systemic Fixes
Non-performance by discoms only explains a minority fraction of cumulative financial gaps of over ₹10L-crore — the real issues are more deep-rooted.Getting India’s Electricity Prices “Right”: It’s More...
In this paper, Nikhil Tyagi and Rahul Tongia examine the equilibrium of retail pricing, beginning with the question whether prices are in compliance with the Electricity Act 2003 enshrined National Tariff Policy, which states that cross-subsidies should be limited to ±20% of costs.Mapping the Climate Transition by Identifying Policy Interventions
RBI’s report lays down a buffet of choices. Policymakers must now pick what is nutritious but also conforms to political taste.The IMF’s Turn to Lead on Climate
While the International Monetary Fund has made great strides on climate change in a short time, emerging markets and developing economies need resources to invest in resilience more urgently than ever.External Engagements in May 2023
Shivshankar Menon was decorated with the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star. He was felicitated by Suzuki Hiroshi, Ambassador of Japan to India. | May 26 Rakesh Mohan gave the address at the inaugural session of the CII Conference on Consumer Credit & Finance. | May 26 ...India has Big Clean Energy Goals – So Why is it Banking on Coal?
India's renewables targets, while ambitious, will still not be enough to meet rising power demand, comments Rahul Tongia.Ensuring Sustainable Supply of Critical Minerals for a Clean, Just and...
This T20 Policy Brief calls on the G20 governments to recognise the importance of critical minerals and strengthen their supply chains.Govt’s Increase in Health Expenditure a Welcome Step. But Indians are...
Analysing the GHE and OOPE data at national and state levels shows the need for deeper inquiry. The attribution of increased govt spending to declining out-of-pocket expenditure isn't apparent, write Alok Kumar Singh and Sandhya Venkateswaran.Podcast | Path to Climate Justice in a Net Zero World | ft. Tejal Kanitkar...
In this India Energy Hour podcast episode, Rahul Tongia discusses how we can design equitable models for climate action.Breaking Down the Gap in DisCom Finances: Explaining the Causes of Missing...
Rajasekhar Deveguptapu and Rahul Tongia comprehensively analyse DisCom finances using a long time series that aims to examine and answer pertinent questions on finances and performance.Does Nuclear Power have a Role in our Climate Change Strategy?
Yes, nuclear power has a role in climate change strategy, but we will have to rethink several aspects of our current policy on this form of energy before it can meet its promise.External Engagements in April 2023
Rahul Tongia discussed the need for an equitable global energy transition with Sunita Narain, Director General, Centre for Science and Environment and Greg Muttitt, Energy Economist, IISD on April 19. Rajasekhar Devaguptapu gave a presentation on ‘Electricity Tariff Reforms – Case Study on India’ to a delegation from the Government of ...Podcast | Should India Consider Phasing Out Nuclear Power?
There are questions on whether nuclear power, with its attendant concerns on cost and safety, remains a relevant option for a future that is fossil-free, particularly in India.Experts Explain | What are the Challenges India Faces in Assuring...
A national critical minerals strategy for India, underpinned by the minerals can help focus on priority concerns in supply risks, domestic policy regimes, and sustainability.Mining Matters Episode 3: Underlining the Critical Role of Critical...
Ranjan Mathai, Former Foreign Secretary of India, joins Ganesh Sivamani to discuss what India must do to secure its domestic and international supply chains of ‘critical minerals’.Interview | Growth Of Renewable Energy High In India, But Pace Not Enough
The lesson for us is that our supply system must be sufficient and flexible to allow such new technology to come in. And that raises another set of issues: Montek Singh Ahluwalia tells NDTV.The International Monetary Fund, Climate Change and Development: A...
An assessment of the IMF-led work on climate change with a development centered approach.Assessing the Criticality of Minerals for India 2023
An extension of an earlier study with a focus on 43 select critical minerals that emphasizes the need for a national strategy to ensure resilient critical minerals supply chains.India’s Fossil Fuel Lessons for Net Zero
As the transition to clean energy becomes imperative, India’s tryst with hydrocarbons can offer a roadmap of what not to do.External Engagements in March 2023
Rakesh Mohan chaired the discussion on Naushad Forbes’ book “The Struggle and the Promise” on March 30 at the India International Centre. Anoop Singh was panelist at the 2nd G20 International Financial Architecture Working Group Meeting, organised by the Government of India in Paris on March 30. Rajesh Chadha was a part ...Podcast | Critical Minerals in India
In this episode of South Asia Chat, Devyani Chaturvedi, Research Analyst, ISAS, is in conversation with Rajesh Chadha, Senior Fellow at CSEP about India’s critical mineral supply chain and its vulnerabilities and opportunities.J&K lithium find: Celebrate with caution but further exploration...
The 5.9 million tonnes of lithium announced by Geological Survey of India are “inferred resources” at present. General and detailed exploration must follow, also roping in private mining expertise, if we are to see the lithium by 2030.Mine the gap: Reclaiming critical minerals from urban mines
Securing the supply chains of critical minerals will be imperative for India to meet its Aatma-Nirbhar Bharat goals and climate mitigation commitments.Why Electricity Subsidies Need an Urgent Rethink
Who is deserving of a subsidy is difficult to answer, for this is a policy choice. However, we can benchmark policies by examining who gets how much subsidy.Price Cap, Energy Geo-Politics
US petroleum firms have benefited the most from sanctions on Russia. Europe has been pushed into a relationship of energy dependency with the US.Historical Wind Power in Karnataka Differs from Predictive Models: A...
Marty Shwarz and Rahul Tongia examine the performance of wind power across climatology, technology, and location.Can Developing Economies Have High Growth Without Using Coal? A Debate.
Rahul Tongia and Jason Bordoff square off on a question that will confront emerging nations in the coming years.Where’s the Capital for Climate?
At COP26, the PM set a clear target that India, with the help of global investment, will achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2070. For this it will undertake actions such as greater use of renewable energy, reduced energy intensity, etc. It's a tough task, but the process is on and ...External Engagements in January 2023
Constantino Xavier and Riya Sinha were speakers with LPAI Chairman Aditya Mishra at the panel discussion on regional connectivity organised by the Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service. The discussion was a part of the Induction Training Programme for IFS Officer Trainees of the 2022 batch. Divya Srinivasan presented her paper “Commodity ...India’s Transition to Green Energy will have a Significant Impact on...
Another effect of the energy transition that needs to be considered is the impact on employment; in some states, a significant proportion of the people are engaged in coal mining. The effect on employment may not be severe but it will be challenging because it is concentrated in a few states.The Path to Decarbonisation in the Wake of the Russia-Ukraine Conflict
Against this international backdrop, India must pivot the needle of its energy compass towards short-term energy security and long-term decarbonisation. Irrespective of who is to blame for global warming, India cannot afford to develop first and clean up later.Post-Lease Clearances: Streamlining the Time-Cost
Karthik Bansal and Ishita Kapoor's paper discusses three case studies on Jharkhand, Odisha and Karnataka to highlight procedural problems with obtaining licenses and permits for mining.Climate Change, Weather Anomalies, and Agriculture: Impact on Output of...
The paper finds that the availability of greater data makes it possible to assess a large set of crops over a long period of time, and therefore, greater data points can yield highly robust results.Four Steps to Make India’s Energy Transition Less Painful
India must make a fiscal transition alongside the energy transition. Here's how it could make a start.Inequality in Air Pollution Mortality from Power Generation in India
Abstract India’s coal-heavy electricity system is the world’s third largest and a major emitter of air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Consequently, it remains a focus of decarbonisation and air pollution control policy. Considerable heterogeneity exists between states in India in terms of electricity demand, generation fuel mix, and emissions. However, no ...COP27: Joining the dots between Binsar and Sharm El-Sheikh
To resolve the environment-development conflict, begin with local initiatives that can be scaled-up and provided market access through support of government and collaborative linkages with corporates, NGOs and specialists, writes Vikram Singh Mehta.Subnational Implications from Climate and Air Pollution Policies in...
This analysis provides valuable guidance about the development of the power sector and the costs associated with different development pathways.Sustained Cost Declines in Solar PV and Battery Storage Needed to...
The results of this research describe the challenging technological and policy advances needed to achieve the temperature goals of the Paris Agreement.Was COP27 a Cop-Out?
The loss-and-damage fund is welcome but other vital issues were left hanging. India’s G20 presidency may help us find clarity.Podcast | Are Current Climate Initiatives Unfair to Developing Nations?
Rahul Tongia speaks to Kai Ryssdal of NPR Marketplace about how current climate initiatives are unfair towards developing nations.Green Cess Needs a Makeover
A graded form of an ecological tax must be levied on the value of outputs of sectors that are polluting, write Rajat Verma and Ganesh Sivamani.Critical Minerals Needed for India’s Green Transition
Securing the critical minerals required for manufacturing green technologies must become an urgent priority, or else India – and the rest of the world – risks falling short of its climate change mitigation targets.It is Unfair to Push Poor Countries to Reach Zero Carbon Emissions too...
Rahul Tongia argues about the need to shift the conversation from futuristic Net-Zero ambitions toward practical and equitable emissions trajectories in this year's COP.Critical Minerals for India: Assessing their Criticality and Projecting...
Rajesh Chadha and Ganesh Sivamani's study results point to policy recommendations for ensuring uninterrupted supplies of critical minerals through enhanced domestic mineral exploration and extraction, along with assured sources elsewhere.Critical Challenges in Realising the Energy Transition: An Overview of...
Laveesh Bhandari and Aasheerwad Dwivedi's paper studies three of the many challenges that state governments will face as India transitions away from a fossil fuel–driven economy.Nature Contributes to Economic Prosperity and Well-Being
Experts emphasize that while a statistic such as GDP does a good job of showing the value of goods and services exchanged in markets, it does not reflect the dependency of the economy on nature, nor its impacts on nature, such as the deterioration of water quality or the loss of a ...Electricity (Amendment) Bill 2022: Three Features that Will be Very...
The many challenges facing electricity distribution certainly need attention. But focusing on multiple discoms in an area, particularly when an alternative for providing choice exists, may distract from more fundamental issues. And it could create more problems.Financing Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation in Developing Countries
Montek Singh Ahluwalia and Utkarsh Patel's paper attempts to quantify the scale and possible composition of international financial assistance that might be required to help developing countries fulfil the commitments undertaken in COP26.Natural Gas: The Bridge on India’s Path to Energy Atmanirbharta
India has a long way to go before it can fully wean itself off fossil fuels. During this transitional phase, gas producers should be granted unfettered marketing and pricing freedom.Modelling the Impact of the Clean Environment Cess: A Hybrid Energy...
Rajat Verma and Ganesh Sivamani's paper seeks to measure the impact of this cess on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and the gross domestic product (GDP) at both the sectoral and national levels.India’s Energy and Fiscal Transition
Laveesh Bhandari and Aasheerwad Dwivedi's paper looks at India’s expected energy transition towards a low-carbon future, and studies how government revenues from fossil fuels will be affected over the next two decades.Managing Climate Change: A Strategy for India
Montek Singh Ahluwalia and Utkarsh Patel's study shows that there is considerable scope for reducing the volume of emissions through a combination of actions aimed at increasing energy efficiency and shifting progressively to renewable energy to meet the electricity demand.Why India Needs to Secure its Critical Minerals Supply Chains
Rajesh Chadha and Ganesh Sivamani reflect on India's critical minerals supply chain and the risks associated with not securing mineral needs.India needs climate action targets for next 10 years
A 10-year-plan will help increase public consciousness and generate a public debate on aspects of the strategy that may seem contentious, write Montek S Ahluwalia and Utkarsh Patel in MintCritical Minerals for India: Assessing their Criticality and Projecting...
The paper projects India’s mineral needs for green technologies, including renewable electricity generation and electric vehicle manufacturing, in line with the country’s various climate change mitigation objectives over the next two decades.The Road to Energy Atmanirbharta
Leadership to balance short-term pressures of elections with longer-term imperatives of sustainability is needed, writes Vikram Singh Mehta.Jharkhand Mining Summit
Jharkhand Mining Summit hosted by PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry.For Energy, it’s not RE vs Coal – Adopt a Portfolio Approach
India is undergoing an energy transition, but it must not write off coal. The most cost-effective way to balance the grid in 2030 will be to keep both thermal power and renewables in the basket of options.Follow-up Thoughts on India’s Grid 2030: A Glass Half Cloudy
India should aggressively go down the RE path, but not focus on just RE. Energy efficiency, smart systems, energy security, local manufacturing, livelihoods, fiscal balances, etc. are all very important.Mineral Royalty Rates: A Policy Review
This Discussion Note explores India’s mineral royalty rates, which are among the highest in the world, thus impacting the competitiveness of the mining sector.Potential of Lower Costs of Capital for Faster Decarbonisation in...
The study by Rahul Tongia focuses on ways to encourage the energy transition for developing countries where high costs of capital are a factor in keeping a spread between fossil fuel technologies and non-carbon solutions.Balancing India’s 2030 Electricity Grid Needs Management of Time...
Rahul Tongia's study presents results from the first-of-a-kind model to handle high uncertainty, which uses parametric analysis instead of stochastic analysis for grid balancing based on economic despatch through 2030, covering 30-min resolution granularity at a national level.Mining Matters Episode 2: Mining for Growth and Development – A...
Ganesh Sivamani discusses the Indian mining sector, and how it can become a catalyst for the country’s growth and development with Chanakya Chaudhary, Vice-President (Corporate Services), Tata Steel.How Indian Minerals and Metals Fare in Trade and FDI
How do Indian minerals and metals fare in trade and FDI? Rajesh Chadha and Ishita Kapoor explain.The Future of Climate and Development
CSEP President and Distinguished Fellow Rakesh Mohan at the Future of Climate & Development, hosted by the Task Force on Climate, Development and the International Monetary Fund.Climate Change in Bangladesh: Global Players vs Local Activism
Social and ecological change in Bangladesh today has been profoundly shaped by colonialism and its legacies, so recognition of this helps us to better understand climate change today.After Ukraine, the New Energy Disorder
Vikram Singh Mehta writes: Ukraine war has disrupted old energy order. We cannot afford to continue with our existing siloed approachCritical Minerals for India at Global Trade Analysis Project (GTAP)
CSEP Research Associate Ganesh Sivamani presented the paper co authored with Senior Fellow Rajesh Chadha, on critical minerals and green technologies at the 25th Annual Conference on Global Trade Analysis.Current and Future Estimates of Marginal Emission Factors for Indian Power...
India’s power generation is a large source of greenhouse gas emissions. The authors quantify current and future marginal emissions factors for power generation in India across seasons, times-of-day, and states.Non-fuel Minerals and Metals: India’s Trade and FDI Scenario
What is the import-export trade dynamics of mineable minerals in India, especially after the Atma-Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan? Read the new discussion note by Rajesh Chadha and Ishita Kapoor to know more.A Granular Comparison of International Electricity Prices and Implications...
This paper highlights some of the specificities of other countries and their electricity prices in order to better direct regulatory attention to measures that could be relevant for India, and to gauge where India’s position is when it comes to global electricity prices.Policy Revamps that Will Help Scale Storage Technologies
The key need for improving storage is innovation, which is not just a technical issue but extends to business models and regulatory frameworks. While there is a need to scale up production, we should also revamp how we integrate and plan for storage, writes Rahul Tongia.The Ukraine Conflict has Raked up Old Dilemmas
Vikram S Mehta writes: Issues related to energy security, climate change mitigation have been brought to the forefront.New Mining Techniques: Exploring the Deep Sea
Ishita Kapoor's blog explores the possibility of deep sea bed mining while also safeguarding the fragile ecosystem of ocean beds.जलवायु बिगड़ने के साथ भारत का...
भारत में जलवायु परिवर्तन के कारण हो रही घटनाओं को अब ‘अप्रत्याशित’ नहीं कहा जा सकता है इसलिए सरकार को उनके लिए वैकल्पिक तरीकों के साथ तैयार होना पड़ेगा.Mining Matters Episode 1: Exploration – A Geologist’s Perspective
In the first episode of Mining Matters, “Exploration – A Geologist’s Perspective”, Ishita Kapoor discusses various issues relating to exploration, auctions and sustainability, including the environment and affected communities, with Dr Nik Senapati, President of the Australia India Business Council in Queensland.Power Sector must Brace for Trouble as Climate Worsens
India can no longer label extreme climate events as ‘unforeseeable’. The Union govt must prepare for them with alternate approaches.A Hybrid Energy Input-Output Table for India
Rajesh Chadha and Ganesh Sivamani's paper details the construction of India’s hybrid Energy Input-Output Table 2015-16, which has information on the monetary, energy, and emission flows of the economy.Give Coal the Attention and Effort that it Needs
The fundamental issue remains woefully short stockpiles. With a recent increase in the domestic demand, and high global prices, the key is to address crucial issues of planning, feedback (or lack thereof), and risk, says Rahul Tongia.Coping with Fiscal Effects of Energy Transition
CSEP scholars Laveesh Bhandari and Asheerwad Dwivedi analyse how governments’ (both Centre and State) revenue from coal, oil and natural gas, will be affected over the next two decades as India shifts toward renewable energy sources.“It is Pragmatic, Morally Defensible for India to Buy Crude Oil from...
It is the same energy security imperative that drove Europe’s decision to continue buying crude from Russia, says Vikram Mehta.District Mineral Foundation Funds and Welfare of the Mine-affected...
Under PMKKKY, 60 per cent of the DMF fund has been allocated to high priority areas such as drinking water supply, environment preservation and pollution control, health care, education, women and child welfare, the welfare of aged and disabled people, skill development and sanitation.Global Fuel Price Rise and How Should India Navigate The Oil Crisis |...
In an interview with India Today, Vikram Mehta shares his perspective on how India should navigate the oil crisis as prices continue to rise globally.Russia’s Ukraine Invasion; India Impact Of A ‘New Energy World...
In an interview with Strat News Global, Vikram Singh Mehta assesses the impact on India of gas, oil and financial sanctions on Russia after it invaded Ukraine, fuel prices, the repercussions on India and Russia’s energy assets in each other’s countries, and many more.How to handle impact of Ukrainian crisis on India’s energy sector
To deal with energy volatility, India must build reserves, revive conversations on pipeline with Iran, TurkmenistanIndia Must Act on Mining and Exploration of Critical Minerals for Green...
in 2015, India announced its Nationally Determined Contributions, including reducing its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) emission intensity by 33-35% in 2030 from 2005 levels. This commitment has been revised to a 45% reduction during COP26. Critical minerals shall play an important role to achieve these goals.Time to Rationalise Fuel Taxes
The delayed feedback from wholesale inflation to retail inflation is also reflected in the household inflation expectations survey of the RBI.Climate Change Policy for Developing Countries
The paper attempts to take stock of what has been achieved in the COP-26 meetings held in Glasgow in November 2021 and suggest the course of action that developed countries should follow in subsequent negotiations.We Need Wardens in Our Eco Parks
Take the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). It is assigned the task of monitoring air and water quality, and to also check commercial or industrial units that may pollute them. It is also allocated the task of supporting State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs), which carry out the monitoring, permitting and enforcing functions ...District Mineral Foundation Funds: Evaluating the Performance
Rajesh Chadha and Ishita Kapoor analyse the collection, allocation, and expenditure patterns in India’s top 12 mining states through a DMF Utilisation Index (DMFUI).Preparing for a Green Energy Shift in 2022
The ‘irresistible force’ for clean energy has met the ‘immovable object’ of an embedded fossil fuel energy system. How can policies reconcile this paradox?Prospective Mining Conflicts: Adopt Sustainable Development
While the expansion of mining activities may benefit the affected local communities, it may harm them if their benefits do not offset the negative impact on their habitat and earnings.Wanted: New leaders to tackle climate change challenge
COP 27 should be led by a collective of experts, who can accelerate the implementation of the action plan towards Net Zero, says Vikram Singh Mehta.Reforming Electricity Distribution in India: Understanding Delicensing and...
The changes being proposed by the government for delicensing distribution and allowing multiple discoms in the same geographical area are unlikely to solve the problems in the power sector, particularly regarding the poor financial health of discoms.Energy Flows through Production and Consumption Structure of India’s...
Results from this note may be used for partial and general equilibrium models (PE and GE) to analyse the impacts of climate-change mitigation policies on the economy, people, and environment.India Needs a Coordinated Approach for Decarbonisation of Economy
Long-term planning process must be changed and an autonomous, credible agency must provide independent advice, monitor progress.Does the Glasgow Pact Make Climate Finance Available to Us?
We must push hard for funds at next year’s CoP and do what’s possible at home to enhance flows of capital into green projects.The Glasgow Summit on Climate Change: What Has it Achieved?
A promising start on emissions reduction, but big emitters must do more and India needs to work out a detailed plan of action.Why India needs a Ministry of Energy
It would not alter the existing roles and responsibilities of the various ministries that oversee petroleum, coal, renewables and power, but would identify and handle all of the issues that currently fall between the cracks created by the existing structure.Net Zero: Pledges Are Not Enough
There are several problems with the so-called 'carbon neutrality' pledges. These can only be understood properly if they are accompanied by details and given tight accounting norms.Long-Term Goal-Setting and Planning for Decarbonising the Indian Power...
It is important that the approach used in India for setting and implementation of targets pays attention to, not only environmental impacts, but also the affordability of electricity, and reliability of the power system.Net Zero Carbon Pledges Have Good Intentions. But They are Not Enough.
Reaching zero is important, but there is no universal consensus on when the date of net zero should be. The “sooner the better” remains a common refrain.Ahead of CoP 26 Meet: A Negotiation Strategy
The right approach is for each country to focus not on the net zero date but to indicate its emissions reduction trajectory consistent with its development imperatives.The Inside Story of India’s Coal and Power Crises
Simple arithmetic will show that power plants consumed more coal than they received, but given that generation wasn’t exceptionally high, does this mean the problem was supply?A Green Response to Natural Gas Price Shock
The price surge must be leveraged to improve energy efficiency, intensify demand conservation and intervene to prevent the switch to coal, among other measures.Getting to Net Zero: An Approach for India at CoP-26
The best short-term target India could offer would be a planned phasing out of coal based power generation.Assessing the Criticality of Non-fuel Minerals in India
India needs to undertake serious research and build a policy framework of being self-reliant in clean energy and high-tech equipment by acting fast on exploring and excavating critical minerals and setting up investments in the downstream value chain of requisite manufacturing equipment at home.Flatten-the-curve: Why total carbon emissions matter much more than...
Becoming zero is important, but “date of net-zero” is incomplete, lacking any measure of what the date should be. “Sooner is better” remains a motherhood statement.Balancing India’s electricity grid in 2030: A detailed, granular...
India has some of the most aggressive RE targets in the world. How can we offer solutions to balance the electricity grid and osupply and demand?How Fair is India’s Non-fuel Mine Auction Process?
Rajesh Chadha and Ganesh Sivamani discuss challenges to the mining sector and recommend a thorough relook at the auctions regime.Challenges For Natural Gas to Become India’s Bridge Fuel
Rahul Tongia examines the relevance of natural gas both through the lens of competitive economic viability as well as other impacts.India Can Grow and Cut Emissions at the Same Time
Montek Singh Ahluwalia unpacks the strategy policymakers could adopt for India's decarbonisation.Non-fuel Mineral Auctions: How Fair is the Game, and For Whom?
The 2015 MMDR amendment introduced the auctions regime, ending first come, first serve allocations, but the system needs a reviewCan we Offer a Credible Strategy for the Reduction of Emissions?
Let’s present CoP-26 a carbon-reduction strategy that includes adequate access to finance, writes Montek Singh Ahluwalia.Unpacking the Strategy Policymakers Could Adopt for India’s...
Montek Singh Ahluwalia unpacks the strategy policymakers could adopt for India's decarbonisation.Book Review | Betting on natural gas as a ‘clean’ fossil fuel
Bibek Bhattacharya reviews The Next Stop for Mint, focusing on natural gas' role in India's decarbonisation and its limitationsThe agenda for Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri
Hardeep Singh Puri should not see his responsibility through the siloed prism of oil and natural gas, Vikram Singh Mehta writes.Challenges for natural gas to become India’s bridge fuel
Rahul Tongia examines the possibilities for natural gas in India’s energy mix.The great leap to clean energy
Vivek Rae reviews The Next Stop: Natural Gas and India's Journey to a Clean Energy Future.Check green damage: India needs to strengthen environmental assessments
Comprehensive Environment Impact Assessments (EIA) are essential to determine the project’s benefits and externalitiesCan natural gas be a ‘bridge’ fuel in India’s energy transition?
India’s focus for natural gas should be where it displaces coal, especially 'dirty', inefficient coalWhat will be the impact of scrappage policy on India’s EV market?
India’s vehicle scrappage policy introduced in the 2021 budget session aims at replacing end-of-life vehicles (ELV).‘India needs one institutional mechanism for bringing all the bodies...
We also need reforms related to pricing, taxation, development of infrastructure, relationship between the Centre and state governments, and R&D, says Vikram Singh Mehta.Book Review | The Next Stop: Why gas is not just hot air
The Next Stop is a "rich and insightful" book where 38 industry insiders with experience in natural gas band together, says reviewIndia’s road to clean energy goes via natural gas
Decarbonisation is the endgame, but India must first ‘green’ its fossil fuel energy basket by increasing the share of natural gasMineral auctions: How fair is the game?
India has a great mineral potential yet to be explored and large mineral-bearing land available for mining. However, the allocation of national resources has been a challenging exercise.A low-carbon future through sector-led change
In India, a sector-led, action-based approach could provide the framework to drive low-carbon transformation.CSEP sustainable mining attractiveness index: District-level study of...
This paper introduces the concept of a Sustainable Mining Attractiveness Index to evaluate the mining sustainability in the districts of the Indian state of Jharkhand.The Next Stop | How is natural gas pricing done in India?
A new book edited by Vikram Singh Mehta looks at different aspects of natural gas use in India, including policy changes and reforms in pricing.New electricity consumer rules: Reading the impact on ‘rooftop solar’...
The older regime benefited just a handful. The new rules should spur a conversation on equitable and sustainable pricing frameworksIs natural gas India’s best choice for moving away from coal and fossil...
An excerpt from ‘The Next Stop: Natural Gas and India’s Journey to a Clean Energy Future’, edited by Vikram Singh Mehta.Why India needs a plan for climate talks
Irrespective of the direction in which climate talks move, India must announce a national target for phasing down coal-based generation of electricity.GV Ramakrishna: A steward of petroleum
The former petroleum secretary, who passed away two weeks ago, placed oil and gas exploration in India on a sure footing, writes Vikram Singh Mehta.Challenges for natural gas to become India’s bridge fuel: Economics,...
This paper examines the possibilities for natural gas in India’s energy mix, both through the lens of competitive economic viability as well as the impact its use might have, notably, on carbon emissions.Need for caution in delicensing distribution
It would be better to focus on developing effective wholesale electricity markets, which, in turn, require well-functioning fuel markets.Bolstering the ongoing mining reforms
Transparency apart, the auctions must provide enough revenues for the exchequer and incentives to industry.Road to decarbonisation: Govts must remove obstacles of poorly designed...
Decarbonisation has become a buzzword. To ensure it does not remain just that but translates into effective action on the ground, policymakers will have to build structures that reflect the woven, multidimensional, interdependent and interconnected nature of the energy ecosystem.New electricity consumer rules: Reading the impact on ‘rooftop solar’...
The older regime benefited just a handful. The new rules should spur a conversation on equitable and sustainable pricing frameworksEnhancing competition in India’s power sector
Fixing Discoms is a pressing need, but it’s worth investing time in figuring out the details, including expected winners and losers, and possibilities for gaming.Need for an integrated approach for coal power plants
This discussion note suggests an integrated approach to addressing the retirement of older coal plants, installation of ECS, etc,.A new map for the end of Oil Age: Technology is answer to energy...
How should India, an economy dependent on fossil fuels, navigate future energy transitions? A new book has some pointers.Coal power plants need an integrated approach
The three issues — retirement, pollution control, and making plants flexible — are inter-related. They need to be addressed in an integrated fashion by distribution companies.India’s DisCom stress is more than the sum of its past
There must be an overhaul of the regulation of electricity firms and their deliverables using common sense metricsInput-output transactions table: Odisha 2015-16
The Odisha Input-Output Transactions Table for 2015-16 depicts intersectoral intermediate transactions across 76 sectors of the state’s economy, the final demand for consumption and investment, and trade flows.Reforms in the mining sector: Comments and recommendations
The Ministry of Mines issued a notice on proposed reforms in the mining sector under nine different categories. This blog piece gives recommendations and suggestions in response to these reforms as well as additional comments on making the mining sector a catalyst for economic growth and development.Reconciling DisCom ‘stimulus’ and dues: We must look beyond the tip of...
DisComs needs support in the coming months, exacerbated by COVID-19, which has hurt revenues more than the reduction in demand.Minerals royalty rates in India: Comparison with other countries
The mining royalty rates in India are among the highest in the world. This discussion note takes a view of the various systems of mineral royalty and their implementation for different minerals in India over time and compares it with the systems implemented on other mining jurisdictions.India needs to strengthen, not dilute, environmental assessments
The Indian government’s proposed EIA draft has been criticised for diluting the environment assessment process. What are good international precedents that India can follow?India’s energy transition: Coal is down but not out
The coal transition is already underway. There may be a lot of uncertainty, but what is even more certain is that the future will not look like the past – and it shouldn’t. The future should be cleaner, more inclusive, more efficient, and more secure, not to mention cost-effective.Why India’s push for private-sector coal mining won’t raise carbon...
After decades of public-sector dominance, and controls that relegated the private sector to minority status in coal mining, India recently launched commercial coal mining via coal mine auctions. Proponents argue this will help bring in not just more capital and improved technology, but also improve the quality of production and output; critics worry this will lock ...Mining and Jurisprudence: Observations for India’s mining sector to...
Over the past decade, India's mining sector, including the non-fuel mineral sector, has been marred by countless controversies.COVID-19 is an opportunity to clean up India’s coal power plants
The arrival of COVID-19 in India led to a lockdown requiring 1.3 billion people to stay at home. Economic activity, at least in the first two versions of the lockdown, almost came to a standstill. By many standards, this was the world’s strictest lockdown. Total demand of grid electricity between March 25 ...Skewed critical minerals global supply chains post COVID-19
Introduction While there is rich extant literature on India’s dependence on and its long-term need for natural gas and coal, there is not a similar understanding of non-fuel minerals, particularly the critical minerals. A study by the Department of Science and Technology and the Council on Energy, Environment, and Water (DST-CEEW, 2016) ...Comments and analysis of Draft Electricity (Amendment) Bill 2020
Few would dispute that change is required in the legislative and regulatory framework of the power sector in India.Impact of temperature on electricity demand: Evidence from Delhi and...
This study measures the change in electricity demand in response to weather shocks at the household level in Delhi, and at various aggregate levels in India.An analysis of non-fuel mineral blocks auctions in India
The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act of 1957 regulates the mining sector in India, including specifying the rules for the allocation of mining leases. The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2015 introduced, amongst other changes, the system of auctions to be used by state governments when granting ...How COVID-19 might impact India’s renewable energy transition
India, like other countries, had an ongoing energy transition, but the question becomes will COVID-19 create a pause or a shift in the trajectories? Or, will it induce radical change? No one can know for sure, in part because we don’t know what the “new normal” will be, but also because timeframes ...DisComs post-COVID-19: Untangling the historical challenges, needs, and...
COVID has unleashed a relatively unique global pandemic with economic, human, and institutional upheavals that haven’t been seen in generations. Economies are in a tailspin, and employment has been one of the biggest casualties beyond direct human health. The collapse of both liquidity and economic activity hits DisComs harder than many other ...Fractured Global Value Chains post COVID-19: Can India gain its missed...
I. Economic Growth and Trade Covid-19 has hit the world hard. As on May 11, 2020, there have been a total of 4,215,274 positive cases across the world with 284,672 reported deaths. The U.S. has suffered the highest number of 80,800 deaths. India has reported 67,724 Covid-19 positive cases and 2,215 deaths.[1] ...District Mineral Foundation funds can help COVID-19 hit mining areas
The Prime Minister of India held a meeting on April 30, 2020 to consider reforms in the mines and coal sector to jump-start the Indian economy in the backdrop of COVID-19. The mining sector, which is a primary supplier of raw materials to the manufacturing and infrastructure sectors, is being considered to ...Enhancing mineral exploration in India
These steps can make India's mineral asset allocation process more transparent and create a competitive exploration environment.Regulatory reform for non-fuel minerals: Improving the post-leasing...
In March 2020, the Government of India passed the Mineral Laws Amendment Bill 2020, which amends the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (MMDR Act), alongside the Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Act, 2015 (CMSP Act). For the non-coal mining sector, a key reason for this move is to ensure ‘ease ...Utilising District Mineral Foundation funds to fight the COVID-19 crisis...
In wake the of the growing COVID-19 crisis and the strain on healthcare resources, India’s finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on March 26 announced that District Mineral Foundation (DMF) funds can be used by state governments to augment healthcare. This includes supplementing healthcare facilities, screening and testing requirements, and any other support that ...Impact of temperature on electricity demand: Evidence from Delhi and...
Impact of temperature on electricity demand: Evidence from Delhi and Indian statesHow to hasten the energy transition in the developing world
Emerging economies are expected to experience the highest growth in energy demand in the coming decades, mostly because they are starting from a low or modest base. This means their future energy trajectories must be at an intersection of inclusive, affordable, and sustainable growth. However, for all the potential that advanced energy technologies ...Input-output transactions table: India 2015-16
The India Input-Output Transactions Table for 2015-16 depicts intersectoral intermediate transactions across 131 sectors of the economy as well as the final demand for consumption and investment, and international trade flows.Non-fuel minerals and mining in India: Background and the way forward
India's mining sector can be a catalyst for the growth and development of the manufacturing sector and the economy as a whole.India’s power distribution sector: An assesment of financial and...
The Indian power sector value chain can be broadly segmented into generation, transmission, and distribution sectors. At an all-India level, the total installed generation capacity was 3,56,100.19 MW as on March 31, 2019 (provisional). The peak load demand of 1,75,528 MW during FY 2018-19 was largely met, considering that the peak load supply shortfall ...Insights from the Brookings India Electricity and Carbon Tracker
Brookings India launched the Electricity and Carbon Tracker, a first-of-its-kind near real-time tracker of electricity generation by type of source as well as electricity carbon emissions at an all-India level. With high resolution data, we can now do a Time of Day (ToD) level analysis of India’s power generation system. The tracker ...Understanding India’s Power Capacity: Surplus or not, and for how...
Abstract For the first time, India has sufficient or even surplus electricity generation capacity. Headline numbers show India’s gross installed electricity capacity is over 350 GW, but the maximum load met has been approximately 180 GW. Does this mean we have sufficient buffer for years to come? A significant fraction of this ...Will breaking up Coal India Limited lead to efficiency and competition?
Inherent and structural differences mean simply breaking up CIL will not unleash meaningful competition, not unless the system is willing to bear a high spread in coal prices. Location matters enormously, and coal ends up being a not very liquid commodity (no pun intended). Newspaper reports have spoken about breaking up Coal ...The future of Indian electricity supply: Scenarios of coal use by 2030
India is expected to be among the top growth markets in the world for electricity in the coming decade. At the same time, electricity supply mixes are changing worldwide, in large part due to the rise of renewable energy (RE). Apart from RE, the elements of the Indian electricity sector transition today ...India 2024: A green India
India faces a variety of challenges related to energy and the environment. Here are several initiatives that the next government could contemplate early on in its term. Integrate Energy and Environmental Policy The various ministries currently engaged with energy and the environment should be collapsed into one omnibus Ministry of Energy and ...India 2024: An energised India
Providing affordable and accessible energy to every citizen while ensuring energy security has been the cornerstone of India’s energy policy. Over the years, this policy has been shaped by numerous socio-economic and political factors including the dichotomy between a nationalised Indian energy sector (upstream and downstream) and a more ‘liberated’ economy; centre-state ...India 2024: A sustainable India
How things change in five years. We have seen many positive steps, some with effort, some part of broader global trends. Nearly all homes in India today have an electricity connection, and the prices of solar power have crashed to a level where newspapers talk of “grid parity.” Carbon is a universal ...India 2024: A productive India
India’s policy default in the energy sector has been a focus on infrastructure addition with the goal of sufficiency. This made sense based on the deficits it was facing after Independence, especially in the electricity sector. Reliable and assured energy is also a prerequisite for robust industrial and manufacturing growth. But now, ...India 2024: A clean India
India continues to suffer from a number of systemic challenges, many dating back decades, when it comes to governance, the delivery of services, and financial sustainability. The next government should focus its efforts on a few areas. Cut Out Middlemen Today, a major scourge on governance in India – including in the ...100% electrification: Assessing ground reality
The past five years have seen a significant flux in India’s electricity sector. A number of policies have been adopted that have fundamentally transformed the sector. On the upstream side, renewable energy is not a pipe-dream with the sector seeing the fastest growth amongst all other competing energy sources, auction-based processes have ...Some steps towards escalating the ambition on Universal Electricity Access
Whether full household electrification is achieved by March 2019 or later, India’s efforts at electrifying its rural population since the turn of the millennium have received universal recognition. However, several observers have noted that the presence of requisite infrastructure in a village to officially deem it ‘electrified’, or even wire to households ...India needs to change the thermal power story to survival of the fittest,...
The proposals for solving the current stranded capacity crisis should start a process of big picture thinking to achieve better collective outcomes on multiple long-term objectives. Doing so requires some decisive changes to the status-quo. How we got here: The chronic factors behind recent woes Contrast the following energy and peak deficits ...Coal in India
Executive summary Coal provides about half of India’s commercial primary energy supply today and is the dominant fuel for power production in India. In 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi established ambitious goals for renewable energy (RE) development, aiming to quadruple its capacity by 2022. Despite expected growth in RE, we project that ...Can natural gas be a catalyst to build a lower-carbon world?
The short answer to the question is yes; natural gas can be and has already become a catalyst in some countries, which are transitioning to a low-carbon economy. The more important question though is can this model be replicated in other countries with gas as a catalyst? Several factors have been responsible ...Around the halls: Brookings experts on what to watch at the COP 24 climate...
The 24th Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 24) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) begins Monday, December 3, in Katowice, Poland. Normally the host plays a big leadership role. This is the third time Poland has physically hosted the COP more than any other country, except Germany (which hosts the ...Amendments to the Electricity Act 2003: A summary, analysis and public...
The year 2018 has brought about a new set of draft/proposed Amendments to the Electricity Act 2003 (EA2003), which are an extension to the draft amendments introduced in Lok Sabha in 2014 but did not pass. EA2003 is the central act governing the power sector structure and policy in India, and any ...Complexities of integrating Renewable Energy into India’s grid
In 2014, India unilaterally announced plans to quadruple Renewable Energy (RE) to 175 GW by 2022, an ambitious target that required an annual growth (CAGR) of over 25 percent. Since then, growth has exploded, especially for grid-scale solar power, which is meant to be 100 of the 175 GW RE targeted. Until ...The future of Indian electricity demand: How much, by whom and under what...
Despite the thrust on transforming electricity supply, India’s per capita electricity consumption remains amongst the lowest in the world, with vast latent demand and high room for efficiency. More recently, electricity demand has witnessed unprecedented slowdown, which is likely a cyclical than a long-term phenomenon. This study aims to deep dive into ...Renewable Energy “versus” coal in India – A false framing as...
Comparing Renewable Energy and Coal A number of publications proclaim Renewable Energy (RE) is cheaper than coal. A newspaper will often show two cost curves, a rising one for coal, and a falling one for RE, especially solar (Figure 1). At some point they cross-over, an intersection dubbed “grid parity”. It’s a ...Energy sector data: Suggestions for improving data quality and usability
More energy and power sector data is available in India than ever before, especially through a combination of websites and portals. We propose that issues in locating, procuring and acquiring data be ironed out for researchers and practitioners to conduct more evidence-based policy research and contribute to the national discourse. Researchers use ...Understanding India, its energy needs and ambitions, and the global...
At least one newspaper headline this year declared that renewable energy in India is now cheaper than coal and that coal is surely on its way out. However, recent research from my Brookings colleague Samantha Gross and me shows that the transition will not be nearly as smooth as some imagine. Renewable ...Working to turn ambition into reality
Executive Summary Even before signing the Paris climate agreement, the Indian government announced extremely ambitious renewable energy (RE) targets that would quadruple the country’s RE capacity between late 2014 and 2022, to 175 gigawatts (GW).1 From India’s relatively small RE base, this target implies annual growth of 25 percent a targeted buildout ...Indian Railways and coal: An unsustainable interdependency
Coal and railways in India are heavily interdependent. In the Financial Year (FY) 2017, out of 574 MT of coal (inclusive of imports) consumed for grid electricity generation (Central Electricity Authority, 2017), 341 MT, or 60 per cent, was transported through railways (Railway Board, March 2017). On average railways accounts for over ...Embarrassment of riches? The rise of RE in India and steps to manage...
Does India have ‘too much’ electricity capacity? Every electricity grid operates in a balance between supply and demand, usually with a slight surplus of capacity to meet eventualities and uncertainty too much surplus becomes expensive. Surplus has two sides: either the demand is lower than projected, or supply is higher than required ...Transition to electric vehicles in Karnataka and India: What’s real,...
The recent policy push for electrifying mobility in India has spurred a host of national and sub-national policies, private sector investment in technology and infrastructure, and business models piloted or deployed in the electric vehicles (EV) segment. Many plans are based on targets or manufacturing, and there are few conversations about holistic ...Electrifying mobility in India
India’s electric vehicles' (EV) aspirations are steep from where we stand today, but they have sparked remarkable interest and action in policy, industry and research arenas.Commercial coal mining in India: A possible but not irrefutable game...
The recent Cabinet decision to open up coal mining to commercial miners, who will now have the freedom to sell coal in the open market, is an interesting development. For decades since its nationalisation, the public sector Coal India Limited (CIL) has dominated coal production in India, producing some 82 per cent ...Is future planning of electricity grid keeping India’s pace of...
A seminar and discussion at Brookings India recently focused on the impact of electrification on the electricity demand growth and also included insights from global experiences and the possible policy implications for India. Key speaker at this event was Johannes Urpelainen of Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and Founding Director ...Recommendations for reforms in India’s coal mining space
Coal India Limited (CIL) commissioned a study in 2017 to analyse the long term trends that would play a role in determining the future for coal in the country. While commissioning the project, CIL noted, “With government’s efforts to push renewable energy due to international conventions on climate change, increase in carbon ...Microgrids in India: Myths, misunderstandings, and the need for proper...
India has a vibrant market for batteries and inverters and even diesel generators – but a cynic could call these responses to the failure of the grid in providing quality supply. Are microgrids similarly stepping in to fill gaps in grid-based supply? This Impact Series Paper revisits the fundamentals and drivers for ...Budget 2018: Does the absence of energy from the finance minister’s...
I did not participate in the post-budget reflections on TV. I declined all invitations, in part, because it was not a novelty and in part because I knew that I would spend most of the time staring at the camera, mute and captive. I also declined because I acknowledged that I would ...India does not have the luxury to develop now and “clean up”...
New Year’s Day is an opportune occasion for reflection and re-emphasis. I summarise below 10 energy-related suggestions that I made last year, in part to remind and in part to influence the government’s agenda. One, the energy conundrum is how to square the circle between the government’s commitment to provide universal access ...Transitioning Towards a Sustainable Energy Future: Challenges and...
India sits at the nub of the crisis of the current high carbon model of development. It is not responsible for this crisis and it can legitimately argue that it must not bear the costs of adapting and mitigating its consequences. However, it cannot escape the reality that it is amongst the ...Power Sector Data and Frameworks in India: Thinking ahead for data usage,...
Data is becoming more and more important for all spheres of public and private activity. The power sector is no different, but much of data has been for operational reasons, ranging from billing to power management to operations. With the rise of IT (and eventually, the Internet of Things), data is now ...An uncertain energy future
The government faces a renewable energy trilemma. It has set itself a target of quadrupling the generation capacity of solar energy by 2022 and shifting the production of new automotive vehicles from the internal combustion model to electric vehicles (EV) by 2030. In parallel, it wants the clean energy industry to develop ...Renewable Energy Forecasting in India – Not a simple case of ‘more...
Growing Renewable Energy (RE) means a greater increase in variability of supply, a relatively newer phenomenon for grids where demand was the usual variable, and supply was tightly controlled, or ‘despatchable’. One cannot control the wind or sun, but one at least needs to predict it well, so that the rest of ...Can the Saubhagya scheme work?
The government’s recently announced 100 per cent household electrification scheme, Saubhagya, aims to tackle the next link for electrification, where until now most efforts focused at the village or hamlet level. The good news is that most villages are now connected to the grid, and remote locations far from the grid are ...Saubhagya programme: The next bold step for electrification – necessary...
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched a new scheme called Saubhagya to ensure electrification of all willing households in the country in rural as well as urban areas by 2019. The focus is on last mile connectivity and poor households would be provided electricity connections free of cost. Is Modi’s new electricity-for-all-homes scheme Saubhagya ...Challenges ahead for clean energy
Who doesn’t want clean or ‘green’ energy? But what if this costs a bit more? We might quickly find many people’s appetite for renewable energy (RE) is lower, especially if the worry cited is something as invisible, long-term, and global as CO2 emissions that impact climate change. RE is making enormous progress ...Is the draft national energy policy for India actionable?
One cannot envy the task given to the NITI Aayog to produce a National Energy Policy (NEP). Almost all projections for future energy needs, worldwide, have not panned out, as this space is very dynamic and assumption-driven. The erstwhile Planning Commission did focus on broad energy issues beyond the line-item ministries with ...A patchy green – energy policy in India
Arvind Panagariya did not list the “draft national energy policy”, prepared by the Niti Aayog and circulated for comment on June 27, as one of the important achievements of his tenure as Deputy Chairman in the various interviews that I read, on the day he announced his resignation. Perhaps, because the document ...An energy warning and lessons
There is clarity and purpose in the management of our energy policy. Oil policy has been well defined and while it is difficult to attract private capital into exploration in today’s low oil price environment, there is no uncertainty regarding the government’s intent. The fiscal and contract terms are competitive and the ...Making a smart energy grid work for India
Newspapers are showcasing the dramatically lower costs of solar power, reportedly cheaper than coal power now, and we are told that smart grids (and smart cities) are just around the corner. While enormous strides have been made in making these solutions both available and cheaper, we have to focus on the next ...Clean energy can cement Indo-US ties
When Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits Washington, US President Donald Trump and he will find numerous areas of disagreement. High on that list will be climate change. Early this month, Trump put a stick in the eye of the world by announcing that he will pull the US out of the ...Trump’s Paris Agreement withdrawal: What it means and what comes...
Today, President Donald Trump announced that he will withdraw the United States from the landmark Paris Agreement on climate change. It was adopted in 2015 by 195 nations, with 147 ratifying it including the United States, which is the world’s second largest greenhouse gas emitter. Experts offer their analyses on what the ...Why is today’s oil market, a ‘no mans’ land?
The oil market has never been easy to call but these days it appears to be in “no man’s” land. Why is that the case? A few weeks back American Tomahawk missiles took out a Syrian airfield. The price of the North Sea Brent crude jumped up by 2% to $56.08/barrel, but ...Newer Challenges for Open Access in Electricity
For the last 15 years or so, introduction of competition has been one of the main aims of reform in the electricity sector in India. One of the key measures to bring about competition is open access (OA) whereby, mainly, large consumers have access to the transmission and distribution (T&D) network to ...Delhi’s inefficient electricity subsidies
Who doesn’t like discounts or freebies, especially from the government? Subsidies aren’t inherently wrong they can help keep goods and services affordable, and encourage “good” things like education. The challenge is making them efficient and focused, so that they help the poor and deserving the most. The Delhi government offers substantial subsidies ...Delhi’s household electricity subsidies: High and inefficient
Subsidies in the power sector aren’t new or unique to Delhi. These can play a helpful role in keeping power affordable for citizens, but the downsides of poor subsidy designs range from poor signalling of true costs, leading to wastage, to over-charging some users and financial losses for the utilities. This paper ...Challenges, recommendations for meeting 2017 norms for air pollution from...
In this Brookings India IMPACT Series paper, Rahul Tongia and Deborah Seligsohn discuss the challenges for India in meeting the upcoming 2017 standards for air pollution from thermal power plants. While these new environmental norms are a welcome step in reducing emissions and are in line with global standards, gaps still remain in ...No such thing as a perfect renewable energy contract
India’s 175 GW renewable energy (RE) targets by 2022 are ambitious, to say the least. Compared to RE targets in Europe, China, or California that require 4-5% growth in RE capacity annually, Indian targets require 25% growth. This translates to enormous capital investment (well over $100 billion), including from global investors. RE ...2016, the year of inflexion for the oil industry?
India hasn’t yet joined the global move towards clean energy. But for how long can it hold out? A large part of my working life was spent with the Shell Group and I accumulated shares in the company. Last year, I decided to reduce my holdings of these shares. This was because ...Data management: India needs agency for energy data
India has no central body for maintaining and disseminating energy data, let alone analysing it. We propose the creation of a national Energy Information Agency to replace the current patchwork of systems. This would collect, standardize and analyse data across energy domains and make it publicly available. A lack of robust data ...How India can meet its ambitious renewable energy targets
A systemic approach that focuses on enabling the environment for more renewable energy will help India to meet its target of generating 175 gigawatts of energy by 2021. At the recently concluded Marrakesh Conference, most countries stood by their commitments made in Paris at COP21 for reducing carbon emissions. India’s ratification, on ...Save me, technology; for I have (energy) sinned
Many things demand a balance, energy being one of them. Electricity, in fact, must always be in balance as grid power cannot easily be stored. Unfortunately, in recent times the emphasis has shifted from reducing the demand of power in India through efficiency to increasing its supply. Except for limited examples such ...“Govt’s ambitious power capacity target may lead to huge...
The Economic Times on our latest IMPACT Series paper, ‘India’s Updated (2016) Renewable Energy “Guidelines”: Bold targets, but can we meet them?’. Download the paper here. The article says, “The numbers for renewable energy, coal-fired capacity and power demand don’t quite add up upon triangulation. The targeted 1,500 million tonne of coal by ...India’s Updated (2016) Renewable Energy “Guidelines”:...
The government has announced a number of targets and support mechanisms for renewable energy (RE). Almost two years ago, the central government announced plans to grow to 175 GW of RE capacity by 2022, more than a five-fold growth in just seven years. RE has since been supported through a number of ...Paper | India’s coal requirement by 2020: A bottom-up analysis
Key findings India is heavily dependent on coal based power for its electricity needs, 79 per cent of total electricity generation is coal/thermal based. This is not expected to change drastically in the near future. Thermal power generation consumes around 76 per cent of total coal available in the country (imports included). ...How India reformed its petroleum sector
Political compulsions ensured that the process was done slowly, steadily and stealthily Indian newspapers have carried a series of interesting recollections by bureaucrats and technocrats of their involvement in the economic reform programme of 1991. None talked about the energy sector and, in particular, petroleum. This was understandable as their focus was ...Think you’re being eco-friendly by using cloth bags? Think again
The most important factor for cloth bags to actually be “eco-friendly”: reuse 171 times. That’s how many times one reportedly has to reuse a cloth bag to justify the extra energy consumed for its manufacture compared to a disposable plastic bag. While the exact number may vary with the thickness of the ...Is the struggle between China and India a struggle to secure their energy...
India will need to import the bulk of its fuel for this decade and the next. In another four years, India is expected to become the world’s largest coal importer, overtaking Japan, the European Union and China. The Chinese attempts to dominate the South China Sea is, from the Indian standpoint, far more ...India has done little to bridge energy supply-demand gap
India has done very little in the last few decades by way of harmonizing its governance structures to secure its energy needs despite a surging demand to fuel its growing economy, and the crisis may worsen in the coming years, Brookings India chairman Vikram Singh Mehta said at a policy discussion forum ...A game changer: Electricity feeder monitoring
The Government of India is proposing a bold and major scheme for monitoring, visualizing, and analyzing feeder level power supply across the nation, monitoring all the 11kV distribution feeders. In conjunction, a parallel scheme, Urja-Mitra, aims to notify consumers of outages, via SMS and online apps. Put together, these should be a ...India-US relations: Energy and environment
The energy market has undergone a major structural change since 2015. The most dramatic manifestations of this change are Saudi Arabia’s decision to forego the role of “swing producer,” the consequential drop in the price of oil, and the recent pronouncement in Saudi Arabia’s “Vision 2030″to reduce its dependence on petroleum. Underlying ...Sustainable development goals must be linked to energy and environment
Niti Aayog needs a sharp focus on weakening the link between energy demand and environmental degradation writes Vikram Mehta Niti Aayog has placed on the internet a 25-slide presentation entitled “Creating a movement for change”. It has set out a thematic roadmap for quintupling the GDP from the current $2 trillion to ...Planning for Accelerating Smart Meter and Smart Grid Rollouts in India
The Electricity Policy has taken a bold move to kick-start Smart Meters in India. This discussion note discusses roll-out the options. Many HT consumers are already on digital metering, that too with downloading of data (even if via a handheld instrument). Making such users’ metering “smart” will be analogous to AMR (automated ...Budget fails to lay out a clear roadmap for petroleum industry
Petroleum industry is in terrible shape. Brookings India chairman and former CEO of Shell Vikram S Mehta details what the Finance Minister can do to put it back on track. I am one of the quick-fire commentators who complimented the finance minister on budget day for both affirming fiscal rectitude and addressing the ...Brookings India Roundtable on “Future of Coal – 2020”
A Brookings India roundtable on “Future of Coal – 2020” invited experts to discuss future coal demand for the country, and also to share preliminary findings of our ongoing research on the challenges in ensuring sufficient coal supply contingent with the demand. Summary: The three key preliminary findings from our research are: Coal demand ...Budget 2016: Reduce & refocus power & diesel subsidies
Brookings India Fellow Dr. Rahul Tongia’s energy wishlist for Budget 2016 may be difficult to pull off in a single budget, it gives a pathway to energy sustainability There’s a budget around the corner, and energy scholars/economists/etc. all have a number of wishes they hope can be announced, often related to pricing, ...“Withdrawal of sanctions on Iran a huge opportunity for India to...
Watch Vikram S Mehta on Macros with Mythili on ET Now. There’s been a dramatic collapse in the price of crude oil in recent weeks. Price of the Indian basket has more than halved since the Modi government took over in May 2014 – from 108 USD a barrel to just below ...End of the oil age
Oil will diminish in significance in a reconfigured energy system. Decades hence, 2015 might well be seen as the year the oil era entered the phase of terminal decline. For during this period, there was a convergence of action and sentiment against oil products and oil companies. The Paris summit on climate change ...Interview | India warns country’s coal consumption to double in...
Rahul Tongia, Fellow, Energy and Environment in an interview with James Bennett, AM, ABC News, Friday December 18, on India’s coal consumption in the coming years. KIM LANDERS: As celebrations subside following the Paris climate accord, the world’s third-biggest emitter India is warning its coal consumption will still double in coming years. ...India and Climate Change – Spoilsport or just late to the party?
India may have been late to the emissions party, but with innovation and rapid development, it can make a disproportionate contribution to emissions reduction. India’s carbon reduction pledges (the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions, or INDCs) have been labelled as medium or even weak by many global observers. Global op-eds talk of India ...Delhi’s bar on cars: Using a sword instead of a scalpel for surgery
Enough has been written (mostly against) the idea to limit cars in Delhi, by license plate. Will it work? Can you enforce it? Will it lead to more sales of alternate number of cars? And, most importantly, are alternatives such as public transport ready, especially considering issues of first/last mile? Much of ...Initiatives needed from India to reduce the import of oil
Recently, Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan spoke at the release of the IEA’s India Energy Outlook about cutting down of the country’s import dependence for domestic energy needs by 10 per cent by 2020-21. How can this be done? There are three initiatives that the government needs to take when it comes to ...Any progress on climate change will depend on innovation and global...
The climate-change relevant question is, how will the continuing compounded advance of technology impact the energy sector? How do we square this circle? On the one hand, the world has come together to tackle the threat of global warming. More than 150 countries have set out their intended nationally determined contributions (INDCs) ...Will India accept legally binding agreements at COP21?
As world leaders gather for the global COP21 climate negotiations. Many may feel it is now or never. But the question remains, who is supposed to contribute how much toward emissions reductions? India’s Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC) submission has targeted a measurable (33-35 percent) improvement in emissions intensity (per GDP) versus ...Will oil remain the bulwark of global energy system in the long-term?
“The Future of Oil” is headed towards an interesting crossroad. The pathway will not be signposted; there will be many twists and turns. Oil is headed towards a future in which it will lose its pre-eminence in the energy landscape. Key Highlights: Over the next five years: Oil, along with coal and ...Average rural consumer ends up subsidizing power for urban residents
An article in the Scientific American quotes Brookings India Fellow Rahul Tongia’s research. Rural homes regularly experience rolling blackouts during times of peak demand as utilities move available power to commercial operations and energy-hungry cities. That means the average rural consumer ends up subsidizing power for urban residents by 240 to 510 ...Rating of Distribution Utilities in India: Linking the Financial with...
In August 2015, the Ministry of Power released the State Distribution Utilities Third Annual Integrated Ratings. This is the third instance of rating for utilities undertaken by the same agencies, thereby imparting some consistency to them. Though it is a transparent attempt to measure utility operations and financial performance, the current metrics do not go ...Cleaning coal instead of wishing it away
The World Bank recently announced that short of exceptional circumstances, they would no longer fund coal in developing regions. The U.S. and other nations are also contemplating, if not making, similar choices, driven in part by concerns about climate change. This view may be impractical, if not myopic, given that at least ...Smart is as smart does
A few years ago, smart grids were all the rage Amitabh Bachchan was even on the cover of a business magazine in 2010 with a Smart Meter, and was dubbed “Power Genie”. Given, however, the low percentage of Smart Meter rollouts across homes, we have to be wary of Gartner’s famous Hype ...Shaping India’s energy future: Ambitions, actions and obstacles
Multi-domain, multi-scale, and multi-stakeholder efforts are needed to overcome the combination of acute and chronic challenges facing India’s energy future. Analogies aren’t perfect, but a number from the healthcare domain could apply to energy. Doctors often characterize diseases or conditions as acute or chronic – energy faces both sets of challenges. In ...A new energy
A year ago, I was requested to make recommendations on a 100-day action plan on energy for the new government. In response, I offered the following suggestions, which I hoped might define the roadmap for the following year. Steps should be taken to institutionalise the formulation of an integrated energy policy. The ...Making India’s Electricity Utilities Viable Enterprises: Economics,...
The Indian electricity system is struggling. Worldwide challenges of supply security, fuel choice, environmental impacts (now adding carbon and climate change), and sustainable business models are present, but the last one is where India is furthest behind. We have a muddled system with state and private participation that satisfies neither the social ...Brightening the future with the sun and wind
India received commitments for over 260,000 MW of renewable energy during RE-Invest. While this is a great supply-side achievement, there are several issues in terms of handling this, and implications for the grid, both technically and financially. The Renewable Energy (RE) Global Investor’s Meet inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February ...The Green Budget
This column first appeared in the Indian Express, on February 2, 2015. Like other products of the Brookings Institution India Center, this is intended to contribute to discussion and stimulate debate on important issues. The views are those of the author. In the aftermath of the Republic Day India-US summit and against the backdrop of ...India and Climate Change: Reversing the Development-Climate Nexus
After the November 2014 joint U.S.-China announcement on climate change, all eyes turned towards India. What would India do? Would it sign a similar agreement, especially with the impending visit by President Barack Obama? Even if some agreement were signed, what would India promise? Probably one of the best outcomes of the ...Over the Barrel: Oilpolitik
This column first appeared in the Indian Express, on January 5, 2015. Like other products of the Brookings Institution India Center, this is intended to contribute to discussion and stimulate debate on important issues. The views are those of the author. A frequently asked but futile question is: Where are oil prices headed? The question ...Over the barrel: On oil, let’s play the ‘what-if’ game
This column first appeared in Indian Express, on November 3, 2014. Like other products of the Brookings Institution India Center, this is intended to contribute to discussion and stimulate debate on important issues. The views are those of the author. Now is the time for the government to ask the question, “What should we do ...Electrified, but without electricity
No one would believe that simply owning a smartphone would be enough to go online and get connected one would still need a data connection for that to happen. Similarly, it is time that we added a similar level of service to define electrification, a focus area for the government. A decade ...India-U.S. Energy Cooperation: Moving to Green, Clean and Smart
The U.S. is the second largest energy consumer in the world, and India is soon to become the third. The U.S. already has a large consumption base; India has enormous growth ahead of it given the low per capita levels of energy consumption (an order of magnitude lower than the U.S.). This ...Re-thinking Access and Electrification in India: From Wire to Service
“Electrification” has been a priority for India for many years, and there are ongoing plans and projects to improve access to many more households, followed by electricity for all in the coming years. Despite improvements in the threshold for village electrification (moving from any single point to 10% of homes plus common ...Do rural residential electricity consumers cross-subside their urban...
Santosh Harish and Rahul Tongia examine inequities in supply of household electricity in India, using minute-level data for every feeder across a major utility. Their model and results indicate disparities in load-shedding equate to a welfare transfer, from the rural areas to metropolitan areas or big cities, in the order of thousands ...A story of the clean energy fund
The finance minister announced in his budget speech that he would enhance the resources of the “clean energy fund” by doubling the cess on coal production from Rs 50 per tonne to Rs 100 per tonne. This fund was set up in 2000 to incubate, encourage and develop innovation in clean energy. ...No Imminent Renewables “Death Spiral” for India’s...
Rahul Tongia explains the challenges facing utility companies in India from distributed generation of renewables and a tiered pricing system in need of reform.Getting down to the energy business
This may be the right political moment to resolve the dilemmas surrounding the energy policy. Energy sits at the nub of every politician’s deepest dilemma. How to meet the demands of the electorate for affordable and reliable fuel without pushing government finances into a deep hole? In the specific context of India, ...Smart Grids in India: Separating Hype from Hope
Rahul Tongia discusses why Smart Grids in India have become a distinct possibility, instead of a science experiment, and why they can succeed now.
Create department of energy in PMO
The new PM should pave the way for the introduction of a bill that lays out the road map for energy independence,security and sustainability The new prime minister should immediately give a speech on energy. It should emphasise the criticality of the energy crisis and articulate the government’s intent to develop a ...Why Renewable Energy Is Harder in India than in Other Countries
Rahul Tongia discusses the challenges of renewable energy sources in India and offers recommendations to help better integrate renewables into the grid.
Time of day electricity pricing: From utilities to consumers
What is the value of saving one unit (or kilowatt-hour, kWh) of electricity? Most households would think about their bill, and then try and recall what they pay for electricity. What a large number of consumers don’t always realize is they pay a regulator-approved price that varies with their level of consumption, ...Why energy needs a big-picture view
The word “energy” is missing from the executive and legislative vocabulary. It is, of course, liberally used, and issues like “energy independence” and “energy security” are part of any official statement on economic policy. But it has not been officially defined. There is no national policy on energy endorsed or supported by ...Energy 2030: Backgrounder
This backgrounder – prepared for the Petrotech 2014 CEO Conclave held in New Delhi, on December 17, 2013 – looks at the dynamics of energy demand and supply in 2030, the implications of geopolitical stress on energy trade, and provides a framework for a sustainable energy agenda in 2030. Key Insights: ...Step on the gas
The government must make it easier for oil and gas companies to acquire assets abroad An important plank of India’s energy security policy is to build up a portfolio of international oil and gas assets. The government recognises that hydrocarbons are tradables and can be purchased in the open market. But given ...A fact check on gas
How the recent gas price hike got it right. ONGC, Reliance and Cairn, the three major oil and gas producers in the country, should make an earnest effort to bring politicians, bureaucrats and other opinion-makers to their producing fields in the offshore basins of Krishna Godavari, the desert of the Barmer district ...Reflections from Binsar
Talent, money and policy must be harnessed to search for the optimal development-environment balance The tragedy in Uttarakhand cannot be overstated. It is a tragedy of monumental proportions. For me, there is a personal dimension. I have a home in the forest sanctuary of Binsar which is 40 miles north of Almora. ...