Pumped-Hydro Energy Storage
With the high penetration of renewable energy in India, we require utility-scale storages such as pumped-hydro energy storage (PHES) systems to balance the grid. However, the growth of PHES has been tepid because of the high cost associated with the commissioning of PHES plants, the long gestation period due to delays in obtaining environmental clearances, and the low recovery from the existing PHES pricing mechanism.
Comprehensive Air Pollution Impact Estimation Can Help Deal with the ‘Triple Planetary Crises’
“Healthy Air, Healthy Planet” — the theme for this year’s International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies 2021 — is upfront in acknowledging the ubiquity of air-pollution effects, calling for collective efforts to improve our air for a better tomorrow.
Clean Energy for Clean Air
Public health concerns have grown tremendously during the past two years because of the pandemic. The outbreak has led to a significant loss of lives and has serious implications for public health.
Public Charging Infrastructure In Cities – Challenges, Data Needs
The year 2019–20 saw a ~20% spike in electric vehicles (EV) sales in India, as per the Society of Manufacturers of Electric Vehicles (SMEV). Transport aggregators such as Ola and e-commerce giants such as Amazon and Flipkart are planning to ramp up the number of EVs in their fleet. This indicates the willingness of people to switch to EVs for a good cause – namely, improved air quality.
Policy Matters, September 2021
A monthly newsletter featuring CSTEP commentary, publications, events, and other developments.
Turn Down the Heat – Coping with Energy Demand and Thermal Comfort
Thermal comfort is a fundamental need and should not be the privilege of the well-off. The recent string of heatwaves around the world, including in India, have unquestionably been intensified by climate change. Staying ‘thermally comfortable’, especially during these events, is vital for avoiding the health impacts of extreme heat.
Financially Solvent Utilities for Improved Energy Access
The Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP) and Southern Voice organised a discussion on the financial challenges faced by utilities in making energy accessible to all. The recommendations from the discussion will feed into CSTEP's policy brief to be submitted to the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General.
A Hydrogen Economy Can Have Huge Dividends for India
According to Union Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, India produced 15,311 petajoules of energy in 2020 of which 81% was derived from fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas. In fact, fossil fuels have been the fuel of choice for decades despite causing permanent damage to our environment.
Charging Stations At Residential Apartments Are Key To EV-Charged Future
The massive policy push to electric vehicles (EVs) has prompted India to gear up for large-scale adoption of EVs, with state-wise targets to electrify private as well as public vehicles. Though a report by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) estimates the penetration of EVs in the private car segment to reach almost 10% by 2030, today it stands at a dismal 1%.
Tackling Air Pollution at the Source
With 22 Indian cities in the top 30 most polluted cities in the world (IQAir, 2020), our new dependence on pollution management at receptors — such as smog towers, water sprinkling on roads, etc. — will fail miserably unless we prioritise source correction. We lack the capacity to remove all particulate or gaseous pollutants as no existing filtering technology can handle India’s current emission rates.