Posted in Editorial Analysis, Environment, GS 3

Disentangling the 2030 global renewable energy target

 September 15, 2023  Leave a comment

Syllabus
GS Paper 3
Environmental Pollution and Degradation
Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc
Indigenization of Technology and Developing New Technology.
Source
The Hindu,15/09/2023

Context

The presidency of the 28th Conference of Parties (COP28) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), to be held in Dubai and

It has called for agreement on a global target of tripling renewable energy capacity from current levels by 2030.

Content

  • In 2021, the global installed capacity of renewable energy sources (RES) for electricity generation was 39% of the total capacity from all sources.
  • In total electricity generation, the contribution by RES was only 28%.
  • More than half the RE generation  (Renewable Energy generation) was from hydropower, while solar (13%) and wind (23%) accounted for about 36% of RE generation.
  • Tripling RE capacity by 2030 implies a target of adding about 6000 GW of RE capacity between 2022 and 2030.

Renewable Energy

  • Renewable energy is the energy derived from natural sources that are replenished at a higher rate than they are consumed. Eg:Sunlight,wind
  • Fossil fuels  like coal, oil and gas are non-renewable resources that take hundreds of millions of years to form.
  • Fossil fuels, when burned to produce energy, cause harmful greenhouse gas emissions, such as carbon dioxide.
  • Generating renewable energy creates far lower emissions than burning fossil fuels.
  • Transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable energy is key to addressing the climate crisis.

Sources of Renewable Energy

  • Solar energy is the most abundant of all energy resources and can even be harnessed in cloudy weather. Solar technologies convert sunlight into electrical energy either through photovoltaic panels or through mirrors that concentrate solar radiation.
  • Wind energy harnesses the kinetic energy of moving air by using large wind turbines located on land (onshore) or in sea- or freshwater (offshore).
  • Geothermal energy utilizes the accessible thermal energy from the Earth’s interior. Heat is extracted from geothermal reservoirs using wells or other means.
  • Hydropower harnesses the energy of water moving from higher to lower elevations. It can be generated from reservoirs and rivers.
  • Ocean energy derives from technologies that use the kinetic and thermal energy of seawater waves or currents to produce electricity or heat.
  • Bioenergy is produced from a variety of organic materials, called biomass, such as wood, charcoal, dung and other manures for heat and power production, and agricultural crops for liquid biofuels.

 Renewable Energy Capacity of India

 Source:https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=1909956#:~:text=So%20far%2C%20a%20total%20of,and%2010.77%20GW%20Bio%20Power.

Advantages of Renewable Energy

  • Eco-friendly:Renewable energy is considered clean energy as it causes only insignificant environmental pollution. Also,it has low or zero carbon and greenhouse emission.
  • Renewable source:Whether wind,geothermal energy, solar energy, or hydropower, renewable energy can guarantee a huge and steady energy supply to a nation for many years.
  • Reliable source of Energy:Fossil fuels are prone to trade disputes, political instabilities, a spike in energy prices, and unnecessary wars. In that sense ,renewable energy can be a reliable source.
  • Job Creation: New and stable jobs have been added to most world economies since the inception of renewable energy.
  • Cheap alternative:Renewable energy makes real economic sense because it is a cheaper alternative to most traditional energy sources.
  • Boosts Public Health:Renewable energy causes limited pollution .This means it creates a smaller carbon footprint and an overall healthier atmosphere.

Disadvantages of Renewable Energy

  • Limited capacity to generate large quantities of power in renewable energy technology compared to traditional forms of energy generation like fossil fuel.
  • Renewable energy technologies  depend on the weather to generate energy. When atmospheric conditions are bad, renewable energy technologies would fail to generate electricity.
  • Lack of sufficient knowledge on how to effectively harness these forms of energy makes the installation and maintenance cost for such facilities quite high.
  • It takes a lot of land for installation. Eg:In land-based wind energy technology, a 2-megawatt turbine requires 1.5 acres of space.
  • Renewable energy is not completely free from pollution even though it is a better option for emission than fossil fuels.

Indian Achievements in the arena of Renewable Energy

  • India was the first nation in the world to establish a ministry for Renewable energy, known as the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), in 1992.
  • India stands 4th globally in Renewable Energy Installed Capacity.
  • It has the 4th largest installed capacity of solar and wind power in the world (Renewables 2022 Global Status Report)
  • India has already achieved its target of 40 per cent installed electric capacity from non-fossil fuels.
  • Creation of International Solar Alliance and Global Biofuel Alliance reiterates India as a global leader for renewable energy generation.

Govt Initiatives

  • Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) up to 100 percent under the automatic route.
  • Ultra Mega Renewable Energy Parks to provide land and transmission to RE developers on a plug and play basis.
  • Laying of new transmission lines and creating new substation capacity for evacuation of renewable power.
  • Setting up of Project Development Cell for attracting and facilitating investments.
  • Standard Bidding Guidelines for tariff based competitive bidding process for procurement of Power from Grid Connected Solar PV and Wind Projects.
  • Conducting skill development programmes to create a pool of skilled manpower for implementation, operation and maintenance of RE projects.
  • “Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric and Hybrid Vehicles in India” or Fame India scheme , an incentive scheme that encourages the adoption of electric and hybrid vehicles.
  • The PM KUSUM scheme aimed at ensuring energy security for farmers in India, along with honouring India’s commitment to increase the share of installed capacity of electric power from non-fossil-fuel sources to 40% by 2030 as part of Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs).
  • National Solar Mission (NSM) launched in 2010 is a major initiative of the Government of India with active participation from States to promote ecological sustainable growth while addressing India’s energy security challenges.

Global Initiatives

  • International Solar Alliance(ISA):ISA strives to develop and deploy cost-effective and transformational energy solutions powered by the sun to help member countries develop low-carbon growth trajectories, with particular focus on delivering impact in countries categorized as Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and the Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
  • Global Biofuel Alliance:The Global Biofuel Alliance (GBA) is an initiative by India as the G20 Chair. The Alliance intends to expedite the global uptake of biofuels through facilitating technology advancements, intensifying utilization of sustainable biofuels, shaping robust standard setting and certification through the participation of a wide spectrum of stakeholders.
  • RE100 : It is a global initiative bringing together the world’s most influential businesses committed to 100% renewable electricity.
  • IRENA:The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) is a lead global intergovernmental agency for energy transformation.It serves as the principal platform for international cooperation, supports countries in their energy transitions, and provides state of the art data and analyses on technology, innovation, policy, finance and investment.

Way Forward

  • Boosting Solar Power: India’s ultra-mega solar park model has been effective in mitigating risks associated with solar projects .However, the growth in solar capacity is still not enough to meet the target of 300 GW of solar capacity by 2030.So a boost is required in the solar power sector.
  • Policy Stability: Uncertainties around import duties and taxes have slowed down the growth in renewable energy. Addressing these uncertainties can help speed up growth.
  • Global Collaboration: There needs to be more investment, research and development, supportive policy frameworks, international cooperation, and public awareness about the benefits of renewables.
  • Vehicle and component R&D, design, manufacturing, and export: Leverage Make in India to significantly grow India’s share of research and development (R&D), design, manufacturing, and export of vehicles and components, especially for EVs.

Practice Question  
Renewable energy has been touted as a key solution to India’s energy security and environmental challenges. However, the transition to renewable energy is not without its own set of challenges. Discuss the potential of renewable energy in India and its role in achieving energy security.

Reference

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