[Answered] Discuss India’s clean energy transition plans. Also, highlight the benefits of clean energy transition plans for the Indian economy.

India aims to reach net zero emissions by 2070 and to meet 50 percent of its electricity requirements from renewable energy sources by 2030 to fight against climate change. India is pioneering a new model of economic development that could avoid the carbon-intensive approaches that many countries have pursued in the past – and provide a blueprint for other developing economies.

India’s clean energy transition plans:

• The utilization of High-Efficiency-Low-Emission (HELE) TPPs can be increased to cope up with the shortfall in baseload electricity generation.
• The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited’s (NPCIL) construction of 11 nuclear power plants with a total generation capacity of 8,700 MW will supply 24×7 power without any CO2 emissions.
• To increase renewable energy installed capacity to 450 GW by 2030.
• To implement National Hydrogen Energy Mission to scale up annual green hydrogen production to 1 MT by 2030.
• To begin a Production Linked Incentive Scheme to add 10 GW solar PV manufacturing capacity by 2025.
• To create 15 MMT production capacity of compressed biogas by 2024.
• To achieve 20 percent ethanol blending in petrol by 2025-26.
• Promoting energy efficiency in agriculture, buildings, industry and transport to reduce the country’s emissions intensity of GDP by 33-35 per cent over 2005 levels by 2030.

Benefits of clean energy transition plans for the Indian economy:

• Clean energy favours India’s own resources, such as an abundance of sunlight, versus fossil fuel imports.
• Clean energy boosts domestic manufacturing. It can move the country from the high price volatility of oil and natural gas to the zero price volatility of renewable sources.
• Creating economic development and jobs in manufacturing, installation, and more.
• India is particularly well placed to become a global leader in renewable batteries and green hydrogen. These and other low-carbon technologies could create a market worth up to $80 billion in India by 2030.
• Retired TPPs would save specific coal consumption and water requirement leading to reductions in electricity tariffs.

Climate change is a wicked problem. The world’s countries that have least contributed to it— including India—will continue to be the most affected by it. So, the clean energy transition that we have embarked upon is a moral, social, medical and economic imperative, not a choice.