New paths to India’s  energy security

India continues to tread a cautious developmental path. It is presently not possible to ignore or downsize coal driven energy security. However, despite the odds, the nation needs to strive towards a path of clean and green energy. Nuclear is a cleaner option if emission is considered. Production of nuclear energy in fact requires only a minute fraction of the land to generate multiple times the energy solar or for that matter, wind energy projects can. Should nuclear be an option that India can opt for—keeping in mind the reducing per capita land availability of its populace and the ever increasing burden of CO₂ emissions from coal fired plants? Maybe.

Moving away from coal would lead India to policy crossroads. With India’s plans to expand its energy outreach taking wing—renewable and nuclear seem to stand out as clear choices. A swift analysis of data backed by field work by the G’nY team, findings of which will be reported in the upcoming issue, have found near nil ground penetration as far as household solar is concerned. Energy from renewables, especially solar needs to be demand driven in order to succeed. However, when uplinking with the grid is more cost-effective, it would be difficult to get people to stick their necks out and opt for a relatively expensive system at the sole open space at their disposal—the rooftop, for imagined future gains. As things stand today, renewables have to be pushed from the top, with large subsidies, technological hand holding and fund based interventions, such as solar parks.

This issue of G’nY largely explores perspectives on coal energy and exhibits how dependant India is on it. It also looks into other sources of energy, from petroleum to new age biofuels and gas hydrates.

Happy reading.