India’s Clean Energy Transition, Crafts of Kashmir, Indian Siris

(General Studies III – Environment Section – Conservation, Environmental Pollution and Degradation, Environmental Impact Assessment. Disaster and Disaster Management.) 

• India’s rapidly growing economy has driven a significant increase in energy demand. To ensure long-term stability and prosperity, there is an urgent need for sustainable energy solutions. Investing in clean energy infrastructure is crucial to meet rising demands, mitigate climate impacts, and support sustainable economic growth.
• The Finance Minister’s Budget speech highlights India’s commitment to this clean energy transition. The proposed measures include developing policies on pumped hydro storage and energy transition pathways to support nuclear energy and energy efficiency.
• However, the recent summer’s record-breaking heatwaves, which drove up power demand, underscore the urgent need for a robust and resilient energy system.

Progress in Recent Times –

The government has prioritized energy security and the clean energy transition, achieving significant milestones over the last decade:

1. Near-Universal Electrification: Through the Saubhagya scheme, independent surveys by the Council on Energy, Environment, and Water (CEEW) suggested that approximately 97% of households were electrified in 2020.
2. Increase in Renewable Energy Capacity: India saw a five-fold increase in installed renewable energy (RE) capacity, making it the fourth-largest country globally by RE capacity.
3. Reduction in Discoms’ Aggregate Losses: There was a 40% drop in aggregate losses of power distribution companies (discoms), to an all-time low of about 15% in 2022-23.

These achievements indicate a strengthening base for the Indian power sector. However, challenges remain in decarbonizing the power system while supplying quality and affordable power to consumers.

Hindrances to the Clean Energy Transition –

1. Growing Electricity Demand: India’s power sector faces several headwinds, primarily driven by growing electricity demand. Annual electricity demand has been growing by 7-9% every year since the COVID-19 pandemic, with peak demand rising even faster.
2. Climate change-induced weather extremes further exacerbate these challenges, making it difficult for discoms to meet unplanned surges with affordable options and existing network capacity, often resulting in power outages.
3. Limited Share of Renewables: Despite efforts to add renewable capacity, its share in India’s power generation mix is just 13%. Power supply shortages and rising energy demand have led policymakers to consider new coal capacity, which hampers the clean energy transition.
4. Low Liquidity in Power Exchanges: During FY23, only 6.3% of India’s power generation was procured through power exchanges, with the rest through bilateral agreements. The low liquidity in power exchanges presents price volatility risks and restricts the ability to integrate renewables at scale.
5. Maintenance and Utilisation of Coal Fleet: Coal continues to play a significant role in India’s power generation. In FY24, more than 210 GW of coal capacity generated about 80% of the power during non-solar hours. However, more than 40 GW of coal capacity was unavailable for nearly 60% of the time due to planned maintenance or technical faults.
6. Digitalisation Challenges: While over 11 million smart meters have been installed in India, the smart metering drive is far from the 250 million target. Discoms need to overcome hesitation, and regulations must ensure consumer privacy and system preparedness against cyberattacks.

Measures Needed for the Clean Energy Transition –

1. Raising Targets for Renewable Energy and Storage Systems: The government must raise targets for renewable energy and storage systems beyond 500 GW by 2030. The focus should be on increasing the share of renewables in India’s power generation mix and scaling up storage solutions to support peak demand, which are cost-competitive and faster to build.
2. Faster Deployment of Diverse Clean Energy Resources: India must accelerate the deployment of diverse clean energy resources. Tapping the renewable energy potential in more states, faster grid connectivity, and access to suitable, conflict-free land for timely project commissioning are crucial. Diversifying from solar energy to other clean technologies will also help meet evolving demand.
3. Improving Energy Availability: To improve energy availability, innovation in bid designs is needed to attract RE developers to sell power in the exchange and set up capacities for long-term contracts. This will help mitigate price volatility risks and enable better integration of renewables.
4. Effective Maintenance and Utilisation of Coal Fleet: State regulators must revise norms to ensure the timely upkeep of the coal fleet and compensate for investments to make select coal plants flexible. This will ensure coal remains a reliable power source while renewables are being scaled up.
5. Fast-Tracking Digitalisation: Empowering discoms and consumers through digitalisation is essential. Smart meters can help discoms forecast power demand accurately, plan networks better, and integrate renewables cost-effectively.  Addressing discoms’ hesitation and ensuring robust cybersecurity measures are crucial steps towards achieving the smart metering target.

The Indian government’s commitment to delivering a cleaner, flexible, and resilient power grid in this critical decade is pivotal for sustainable economic growth. Investing in a sustainable energy infrastructure will not only support the economy but also create jobs in the clean energy sectors, ensuring long-term prosperity for the nation.

• The Supreme Court held that the authority of the Lieutenant-Governor (L-G) of Delhi to nominate 10 persons with special knowledge of municipal administration to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi is a statutory duty attached to his office and he is not bound by the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers.
• The SC held that the L-G’s power is drawn from Section 3(3)(b)(1) of the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957, which was amended in 1993 to vest the power to nominate 10 expert persons.
• The Bench referred to a Constitution Bench judgment established that the executive power of the Delhi government would conform to a parliamentary law dealing with subjects in the State.
• The court disagreed with the argument that the L-G’s power was merely semantic and outdated.

Dig Deeper:  Read about various Constitutional Bench judgments with respect to Delhi governance.

• Recently Certificate Award Ceremony was held after the World Crafts Council (WCC) awarded Srinagar a ‘World Craft City’ tag. (Covered in June Magazine also)
• The World Crafts Council (WCC) named Srinagar a World Craft City, one of four in India and among 60 globally.

• The brand Cashmere and the motif paisley are internationally recognized symbols of the city’s distinct artistic identity.
• Out of 10 different crafts, seven of which have received the unique Geographical Indication (GI) recognition.
• Located on the historic Silk Route, Srinagar generated ideas related to arts and crafts and facilitated exchanges in trade, cultural practices, and scientific knowledge.
• Five centuries ago, craftsmen from Iran brought crafts such as zanjan, filigree, shiraz, chador, and shab to Kashmir.
• Other World Craft Cities in India include Jaipur, Mamallapuram, and Mysore. Internationally, cities like Bukhara in Uzbekistan, Lalitpur in Nepal, Gualaceo in Ecuador, and La Bisbal d’Empordà in Spain hold the title.

Dig Deeper: List all GI-recognised crafts of Kashmir.

• A century-old Indian siris tree, a notable landmark in Kumaradevam, East Godavari district, collapsed. It had been an integral part of the local landscape and community life.
• The tree fell due to the soil beneath it giving way, a consequence of the heavy flow of floodwater into the Godavari River.
• Albizia lebbeck, also known as Indian siris, is a large deciduous tree growing up to 30 meters in height.
• It belongs to the Fabaceae family.
• It produces white, heavily scented flowers, with mature pods remaining on the tree for long periods.
• The tree has a wide native distribution across the Indian subcontinent, from Pakistan to Myanmar.
• Albizia lebbeck is widespread and its population is presumed to be large and stable, classified as Least Concern under the IUCN Red Data book.
• Albizia lebbeck is ecologically dominant and invasive in many tropical regions.
• Valuable in agroforestry for nitrogen fixing, pasture improvement, and livestock shade and forage.
• Its decorative wood is used for furniture, construction, and fuel.
• The bark is used in tanning and traditional medicine for boils, diarrhoea, and eye conditions.

Dig Deeper: Read about various tree species like Indian Siris which have unique cultural as well as conservation significance.

• Sheikh Hasina resigned as Bangladesh’s Prime Minister and fled the country following weeks of protests.
• She has been a dominant political figure since the assassination of her father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, nearly 50 years ago.
• Her resignation came seven months after winning a fourth consecutive term in an election boycotted by the main opposition.
• Protests began in June over a controversial quota system in government jobs, escalating into demands for her resignation.
• Hasina first led the Awami League to victory in 1996, regaining power in 2009 and holding it since.
• Her rule has seen mass arrests of political opponents, forced disappearances, and extrajudicial killings.
• Despite accusations of authoritarianism, she is credited with economic improvements and sheltering Rohingya refugees. However, the economy has slowed due to the Russia-Ukraine war.

Dig Deeper: Read about the stakes of India in Bangladesh amid the Coup.