India; is the largest democracy in existence. 1.2 billion People, with only a third having any access to electricity. Infrastructure, energy use, and public services in India are being strained by the country’s rapid urbanization. The issue of how to make reliable and affordable energy available to millions of Indians is a serious one for the nation.
By supporting the development and implementation of policies that support clean energy, energy efficiency, sustainable urban transportation, and climate action, Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation (Shakti) hopes to speed up India’s transition to a cleaner energy future.
Shakti aims to catalyze transformative solutions to satisfy India’s energy demands in a clean and sustainable manner by collaborating with policy makers, civil society, business, think tanks, and academia.
India’s energy policies in the upcoming years would be of utmost significance. Actionable policy solutions to India’s energy problems will increase national energy security, generate jobs, and preserve the environment.
· Clean Power
Economic expansion is fueled by energy in the form of electricity. India is home to 1.3 billion people. India’s electricity consumption is expected to increase significantly over the next few decades as a result of this as well as greater efforts to promote indigenous development. According to projections, consumption will increase from 949 terawatt hours in 2015 to between 2074 and 2785 terawatt hours by 2030.
Power is needed for many different industries, buildings (both residential and commercial), agriculture, infrastructure (both rural and urban), and transportation, among other things, in India. However, it’s crucial to avoid viewing the need for power in isolation. The largest contributor to India’s carbon emissions is the energy industry.
There has never been a better time to use cleaner energy sources to meet India’s energy needs. India is one of the top nations for its efforts in renewable energy thanks to its objective of generating 175 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2022 and 430 GW by 2030, which is supported by policy and regulatory pushes. Nearly all Indian homes are now connected to the energy grid thanks to the Saubhagya scheme. The Indian government is dedicated to ensuring that all of its residents have year-round access to electricity as well as to reaching the Nationally Determined Contributions as part of the Paris Climate Agreement.
· Energy Efficiency
India has one of the world’s economies that are expanding the quickest. There will be an increase in population, a trend toward urbanization, rapid technical development, and a higher emphasis on domestic industry in the future decades. All of these developments will demand energy. The majority of the energy that we currently utilize in India comes from conventional energy sources. If we don’t prioritize making our current systems more resource and energy efficient, an increase in energy demand might lead to an increase in carbon emissions.
The government of India has committed to making cooling sustainable and available to everyone through the launch of the India Cooling Action Plan, which acknowledges cooling as a development need with direct links to sustainable development goals like Health and Wellbeing (SDG 3), Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG 8), Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG 11), and Climate Action (SDG 13).
· Sustainable Transport
People require transportation as a basic need. Our reliance on transportation rises as our cities develop and expand. 24% of the country’s total energy consumption is absorbed by the transportation sector. It also has one of the fastest rates of growth. The need for transportation is expected to raise along with our economy’s growth and income levels. It’s crucial that a supply of clean, sustainable transportation can meet this rising demand. The correct policy interventions can aid in developing a transportation industry that can meet customer needs while being environmentally sustainable.
Air pollution and traffic congestion are becoming more and more of a problem in Indian cities. As more automobiles use our roadways, this tendency will continue to experience an upward jump. The burning of the fuels used in cars is one of the main causes of pollution. Both the increase in personal vehicle ownership and the rising usage of road-based freight transportation are to blame for this pollution.
The primary focus of the Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation is on reducing emissions from road-based transportation, which make up the largest portion of emissions in the industry. By assisting with the creation and implementation of policies for better urban transportation, increased car and fuel efficiency, and energy-efficient freight in India, we support initiatives in the transport sector.
· Climate Policy
One of the biggest problems facing us today is anthropogenic climate change. Right in front of our eyes, the state of the climate is rapidly changing. Over the years, heat waves have become more frequent. Over the majority of regions, there have been more instances of significant precipitation. The average global temperature has noticeably increased, and sea levels are rising. The dilemma our society today faces is largely caused by rising carbon emissions from socioeconomic activities that rely on conventional, carbon-intensive sources of energy.
Not all concerns are related to rising emissions. A growing challenge is the deteriorating air quality brought on by the emission of dangerous pollutants from many sources.
The Climate Policy program of the Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation aids numerous initiatives to move India toward a low-carbon future that can slow global warming. At the national and subnational levels, they want to promote ongoing discussion and involvement in climate and energy issues. In order to make informed policy decisions, Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation seek to improve greenhouse gas (GHG) management capabilities.
· Shakti’s Approach:
- Strong policy frameworks, in our opinion, are required for significant, transformative change.
- To create strong policies, we assemble professionals from industry, public society, academia, and government (decision makers at the federal, state, and municipal levels).
- We rigorously assess the outcomes of our own efforts, gauging performance by distinct measures based on quantifiable renewable energy contributions.
- We employ cross-sectorial solutions in an effort to produce beneficial outcomes and a significant impact.
- To increase our influence and reach, we place a strong emphasis on strategic communication.
Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation’s work over the past few years has advanced evidence-based research, stakeholder capacity building, and outreach while also informing air quality monitoring across the nation and evaluating mitigating strategies.