INDIA'S RENEWABLE energy push has not just helped reduce greenhouse gas emissions from thermal power generation, but also fuelled economic development and improved electricity access and security. Globally, India now ranks fourth in renewable energy capacity, with 145 GW of installed capacity (excluding large hydropower), as per data with the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE). Government programmes in bioenergy, wind and solar power have driven these advancements. To sustain this growth, the country needs a thorough assessment of the barriers to clean energy transition, focusing on implementation challenges in each sector. It also needs structured interventions that create demand-driven markets for wind, solar and bioenergy, and facilitate a domestic industry, covering the entire value chain.
COMPRESSED BIOGAS: TAP THE POTENTIAL
Compressed biogas (CBG), a non-fossil fuel produced from feedstock such as agricultural residue and solid waste, is a cleaner alternative to imported compressed natural gas or CNG (CBG and CNG have similar properties and calorific values). India aims to establish 5,000 CBG projects across the country under the Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation (SATAT) scheme. But the sector faces some key challenges.
Many CBG plants are operating below their designed capacity. Insufficient feedstock procurement impedes operations. Limited CNG infrastructure curbs potential to extend gas pipelines to CBG plants, hampering gas sales. Expanding gas pipeline around the plants can ensure complete gas offtake. In rural areas, incentivising the conversion of tractors and two-wheelers to use CBG can create a demand for the fuel.
Esta historia es de la edición June 01, 2024 de Down To Earth.
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Esta historia es de la edición June 01, 2024 de Down To Earth.
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A SPRIG TO CARE FOR
Punarnava, a perennial herb, is easy to grow and has huge health benefits
DIGGING A DISASTER
Soapstone mining near Dabti Vijaypur village has caused many residents to migrate.
REVIEW THE TREATMENT
Several faecal sludge treatment plants in Uttar Pradesh suffer from design flaws that make the treatment process both expensive and inefficient
MAKE STEEL SUSTAINABLE
As India works to double its GDP by 2030, its steel industry must balance growth with sustainability. By embracing policies like the Steel Scrap Recycling Policy 2019 and adopting green technologies, India is paving the way for a more sustainable future in steel production
Can ANRF pull off the impossible for India?
Anusandhan National Research Foundation is expected to reorient India's innovation goals but funding issues, old mindsets remain a drag
TROUBLED WOODS
Forests are a great bulwark against climate change. But this is fast changing. AKSHIT SANGOMLA travels through some of the pristine patches of the Western Ghats to explore how natural disturbances triggered by global warming now threaten the forest health
BLINDING GLOW
The science is clear: increased illumination has damaging consequences for the health of humans, animals and plants. It’s time governments introduced policies to protect the natural darkness and improved the quality of outdoor lighting.
GROUND REALITY
What happens when the soil loses the ability to grow healthy, high-yield crops on its own?
GM POLICY MUST BE FARMER CENTRIC
On July 23, the Supreme Court of India directed the Union government to develop a national policy on genetically modified (GM) crops for research, cultivation, trade and commerce through public consultation.
Vinchurni's Gandhi
A 96-year-old farmer transforms barren land into a thriving forest in drought-prone region of Satara