GREEN ENERGY (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Sci & Tech)

Context: India losing a green energy subsidy race against US and others.

Key Points

• The world’s most populous country and third-largest generator of carbon dioxide behind China and the U.S., India already faced significant hurdles in its energy transition. 
• India’s economy could jump from fifth to rank second or third by 2050. To meet electricity demand over the next two decades, India will have to add a power system the equivalent of the European Union’s in size, the International Energy Agency estimates.
• India's size and anticipated growth is still a significant draw for clean-energy investors, and low costs make it an economic place to site manufacturing projects. 

India’s energy status: India's power mix is currently heavily reliant on coal, which is a major source of carbon emissions.

• India has pledged to change this by tripling the amount of non-fossil fuel energy sources installed to 500GW by 2030.
• India is blending 10 % of ethanol in its petrol and targets to take it to 20 by 2025.
• In world, India’s rank is 4th in wind power, 5th in solar power, 4th in renewable power installed capacity.