A lithium-ion battery circular economy will significantly benefit the domestic EV and storage industry. Recycled materials from retired batteries by 2030 can support the manufacture of ~60 GWh LiB cells in India.

The draft Karnataka Renewable Energy Policy 2021-2026, issued by the Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Limited recently, targets developing 20 GW of renewable energy (RE) projects in the state with and without energy storage. The state plans to build RE parks and develop solar, wind, solar–wind hybrid, biomass, waste-to-energy, and mini and small hydro energy projects. Among various projects, the promotion of rooftop and floating solar projects is also planned.

Karnataka is at the forefront of the EV revolution in India, with the state government’s Karnataka Electric Vehicle and Energy Storage Policy, 2017, targeting 100% EV penetration in the IPT segment in Bengaluru by 2030. Though the current share of passenger transport vehicles (three-wheelers, cabs, and public buses) of the total registered vehicles in Bengaluru is ~10%, the daily distance travelled by these vehicles is significantly high (private cars and two-wheelers run ~10 km and autorickshaws/cabs run ~150–300 km per day).

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Technology plays a crucial role in realising the sustainable development goals of India. In this context, the government has introduced various policies to support indigenous development of technology, and strengthen collaborations with foreign entities for technology sourcing and development. However, technology implementation may have some negative impact on the environment during various phases of development.

With pressure mounting on countries including India to address climate change by shifting to clean technologies, the significance of electric mobility to counter emissions cannot be ruled out. While the benefits of the said move are substantial, the uptake of electric vehicles (EVs) in India has been lethargic at best. In a city such as Bengaluru, with a vehicle population of 80 lakh, the share of EVs is 1%–2%.

Electric mobility has gained momentum worldwide as a sustainable choice in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving air quality. However, the adoption rate of electric vehicles (EVs) is low because of driving range anxiety, high upfront costs, and the lack of public charging infrastructure. A robust public charging infrastructure can reduce range anxiety and increase the EV adoption rate.