India's Green Energy Transition

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.

The Indian Railways, one of the biggest train networks worldwide, transports over 24 million passengers and 3 MT of freight daily. It is a major energy consumer in the country with a significant emission footprint. To overcome these challenges, the government has set a target to achieve 100% electrification of the railway network by 2024. Currently, 80% of the routes have already been electrified. However, the cost effectiveness and technical feasibility of complete electrification in areas with low grid access or inaccessible terrain or in routes with low frequency remain unclear.

India became the fifth largest economy surpassing the UK recently, recording a greater-than-expected 7.2% GDP growth rate in FY 2022–23. Also, as per the latest State of World Population (SOWP) report by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), India is the most populous country on the planet, leaving behind China.

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Bengaluru witnessed a 16% spike in car registrations during FY 2021–22. With the addition of about 1 lakh cars annually over the past few years, several parts of the city continue to experience severe traffic congestion. A few initiatives are underway to ease this problem.

There is a need for the citizens of Bengaluru to become more environmentally conscious and adopt sustainable mobility options. Aggressive awareness campaigns and investments in this direction are required from policymakers.

As a rapidly developing nation, India is currently the world’s fourth-largest emitter of greenhouse gases. However, we aim to reduce the overall carbon intensity and achieve 50 per cent of power from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030, which is currently at 43 per cent as per Central Electricity Authority (CEA).