India's Green Energy Transition

In early September, India's peak daytime electricity demand stood at 241 GW, a record high. The solar market in India plays a crucial role in meeting this ever-increasing demand, especially the rooftop photovoltaic sector which has enormous untapped potential. The Government of India aims to have 40 GW of rooftop photovoltaics (RTPV) installed capacity by March 2026.

So far in this series, we discussed different aspects of India’s solar PV sector, including taxation, policies, and the journey towards sustainability. In this concluding piece, we focus on popular technologies, innovations, challenges, and opportunities.

India’s solar photovoltaics (PV) market is rapidly growing. However, to reach the ambitious goal of 500 GW of renewable energy by 2030, there is a pressing need to increase installed capacity and generation targets. With only around 62 GW of installed solar capacity achieved by the end of 2022, India fell short of its 100 GW target for the year. Favourable policies, financial support, technological advancements, and a competitive market are essential for further advancing the growth of India’s solar PV sector.

In the previous article, we discussed the gaps in key areas that hamper the sustained growth of India’s solar PV market. In this article, we shift our focus to two critical aspects that are influencing the sector - ALMM and BCD.

In 2021, Hanson — a subsidiary of Heidelberg Cement in the United Kingdom — substituted 100% of thermal energy with energy from alternative fuels in one of its cement kilns by using a mixture of hydrogen (39%), glycerine (49%), and meat and bone meal (MBM; 12%) instead of coal. This is the world’s first usage of 100% climate-neutral fuel and one of the first demonstrations of hydrogen-based technology in the cement kiln. Such adaptations, comprising a climate-neutral fuel blend, in the Indian cement industry remain elusive, even in 5% of the plants.

India’s wind capacity target for 2030 is 140 GW, and the current wind installation achieved until April 2023 is 42.8 GW. To achieve the remaining 98 GW, considerable growth rate and comprehensive efforts are needed in the coming years. India has a total wind energy potential of 695GW at 120 metres (National Institute of Wind Energy), which is on par with the solar energy potential of 748GW (National Institute of Solar Energy).

India generates an enormous amount of waste, including municipal solid waste (MSW), industrial waste, hazardous waste, and biological waste. According to the State of India's Environment 2023 report, MSW generation in India is estimated to be around 150,000 tonne per day (TPD). To harness the energy potential of this waste and reduce reliance on landfills, waste-to-energy (WTE) processes are being explored across India.

The electric vehicle (EV) segment in India has witnessed a phenomenal growth in the last few years. More than 1 million EVs were sold in FY23 alone, and this segment grew by a whopping 154% year-over-year. For this momentum to persist, the country’s EV charging infrastructure needs to grow at a rapid pace.

We bring you CSTEP’s Annual Report for 2022–2023.

As we look at the past year, we reflect on collaborations that helped us forge impactful strategies to solve some of the grand challenges that the country faces today. Our world-class research founded on solid partnerships will help the country navigate through critical problems, such as climate risk and green energy transition, to shape a better tomorrow. This Annual Report is a throwback to our endeavours and a testament to our efforts in building a sustainable and resilient future.

A quarterly newsletter featuring CSTEP commentary, publications, events, and other developments.