Renewable commitment

The challenge facing the world today is to meet its increasingly large energy needs, while minimising the damage to the environment. This is why, while striving to bridge its energy deficit, the world must necessarily increase the share of clean, sustainable, new and renewable energy sources. Therefore we in India look at renewable energy and clean technologies as vehicles of sustainable development.

I am confident that renewable energy is an idea whose time has come. There is an unmistakable shift from the use of conventional energy to renewable sources. The role of renewables will continue to increase, not only in India, but in the entire world. Whether or not renewable energy completely replaces fossil fuel, we must all work together to develop renewables to its fullest potential.

Renewable energy has already created its space in grid connected power generation. Wind and small hydro are commercially-viable options. We are working towards grid-parity in solar. However, what is most amazing is the capacity of decentralised renewable applications to usher in energy access for all, including the most disadvantaged and the remotest of our habitations. In its decentralised or standalone version, renewable energy is the most appropriate, scalable and optimal solution for providing power to thousands of remote and hilly villages and hamlets. By providing energy access to be most disadvantaged and remote communities, it becomes one the biggest drivers of inclusive growth.

Renewable energy has the inherent advantage of greater resource flexibility of a distributed energy system, but is also currently more costly than centralised power. Hence there is continuous need to innovate to increase efficiencies and bring down costs. The challenge before us in the renewable energy sector generally, and in India particularly, is to reduce the per-unit cost of renewable energy. Besides, the power generated through renewable energy is usually intermittent and sometimes difficult to predict. There are also other challenges like those related to technology and financing. Like many other countries, India too is facing these challenges through encouraging economies of scale, easy transfer of technology and indigenous research and development.

I see the role of governments as active facilitators who will work to create an enabling ecosystem for promoting newer business models and technical as well as market innovations as well as for promoting basic and applied research. India has a strong base in R&D in all areas of renewable energy. We see technology-led R&D as a strong area for innovation and growth – for instance, managing the complexity of variable power generation through computer-enabled power networks, or smart grids. The efficiencies of smart-grid management, coupled with the sustainability of renewable energy, could be a win-win combination. India as the leading light of the IT world would have a natural advantage in this.

The World Future Energy Summit is now a key event in the world sustainable energy calendar.  It is an important effort to bring together governments, businesses and thinkers to jointly advance the cause of a cleaner and more sustainable world for all of us. It provides a unique opportunity for Indian investors, manufacturers and developers to interact with leading lights both from the private and public sectors.

I am delighted to note that the UAE, despite its abundant hydrocarbon resources, has taken the initiative in promoting renewable energy, and in hosting the headquarters of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). We, in India, see tremendous opportunity in cooperation, not only via the medium of IRENA, but also at the bilateral level. India shall be happy to leverage its resources to help in capacity building and resource assessment.

Dr. Farooq Abdullah is Union Minister for New & Renewable Energy, India.