Navigating India's Renewable Energy Landscape: Challenges and Opportunities
Key Ideas
- India aims to install 7,000 GW of renewable energy to achieve net-zero emissions by 2070, facing challenges beyond the 1,500 GW mark.
- CEEW's study highlights constraints like climate risks, high land prices, land conflicts, and population density in India's renewable energy deployment.
- The study emphasizes the need for innovative solutions to navigate challenges and unlock India's vast renewable energy and green hydrogen potential.
- Certain states like Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Ladakh exhibit high unconstrained renewable energy potential, offering opportunities for sustainable energy development.
India needs to install approximately 7,000 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy capacity to achieve net-zero emissions by 2070, as stated in a study by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW). The study identifies that while India has a renewable energy potential of over 24,000 GW, challenges escalate beyond the 1,500 GW mark. These challenges include climate risks, high land prices, land conflicts, and population density. The CEO of CEEW, Arunabha Ghosh, acknowledges the vast renewable energy potential but emphasizes the resilience and innovation required to overcome hurdles. The study delves into granular details of India's landmass to map out feasible locations for renewable energy and green hydrogen projects amidst various constraints. States like Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Ladakh are identified as having significant low-cost solar potential, while Karnataka, Gujarat, and Maharashtra offer substantial wind potential. The study also highlights the importance of states like Odisha and Madhya Pradesh, equipped with the necessary infrastructure, to play a pivotal role in India's renewable energy ambitions. Despite challenges posed by population density, land conflicts, and climate risks, the study provides insights into addressing these obstacles and unlocking the immense renewable energy potential in India.