The India Energy Hour Presented by 101Reporters

To meet global climate targets, renewable energy sources such as solar and wind will need to be deployed at scale. This will mean large-scale mining and processing of critical minerals such as cobalt, lithium, and rare earth elements, which form key components of the solar panels, wind turbines, and electric vehicles required for the energy transition. To understand the role of critical minerals in energy transition, including whether the world has enough of these minerals, we spoke to Dr. Seaver Wang, Co-Director of the Climate and Energy team at the United States-based Breakthrough Institute. Dr. Wang writes on critical minerals and recently published a paper titled “Future demand for electricity generation materials under different climate mitigation scenarios,” which unpacks the feasibility of using critical minerals at scale to meet climate goals. Full transcript of the episode is available here Suggested reading: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2542435123000016 Follow TIEH podcast on Twitter, Linkedin & YouTube Seaver Wang is on Twitter & Linkedin Our host, Shreya Jai on Twitter, Linkedin & Dr. Sandeep Pai on Twitter, Linkedin Podcast Producer, Tejas Dayananda Sagar on Twitter & Linkedin

India's wind energy sector has never had a breezy year for close to a decade now. An early mover in the green energy space, wind energy players relied on tax benefits for initial growth. But as incentives and subsidies faded, so did the fortunes. Recently, in another major policy shift, the bidding regime for the wind sector would undergo significant changes. To talk about the past, present and future of the wind energy sector, we spoke with Mr. D V Giri. He is the secretary general of Indian Wind Turbine Manufacturers Association (IWTMA), the industry lobby body for wind turbine makers. Giri has held senior executive positions in several sectors including foreign wind energy majors. He has been associated with Indian Wind Turbine Manufacturers Association since its inception. Full transcript of the episode is available here Follow TIEH podcast on Twitter, Linkedin and YouTube Our host, Shreya Jai on Twitter, Linkedin & Dr. Sandeep Pai on Twitter, Linkedin Podcast Producer, Tejas Dayananda Sagar on Twitter and Linkedin

This year marks the starting line for India’s energy transition plan, in line with its Net Zero ambitions. The country has made a range of ambitious announcements starting from renewable energy addition to assertive stand on global climate platforms. Challenges of balancing energy needs versus climate commitments aside; India’s energy transition would need to also balance economic needs versus social obligations. We talked with Ulka Kelkar, Director, Climate program, World Resources Institute India to assess the climate action plan of India and what lies ahead. An economist by training, Kelkar has a rich experience in climate change research where her work has ranged from field studies in rural areas to designing state action plans. She is one of India’s most respected voices on low-carbon and climate-resilient economic planning. Reading Suggestions: https://www.wri.org/research/pathways-decarbonizing-indias-energy-future-scenario-analysis-using-india-energy-policy https://www.wri.org/research/sustainable-development-impacts-renewable-power-insights-three-indian-states https://www.wri.org/just-transitions/snapshots Full transcript of the episode is available here Rukhmabai Initiatives 2023 - Are you a woman journalist, writer or student who loves to amplify the voices of striking women who have compelling insights into the world of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics and hold a unique place in the field, the Rukhmabai Team is looking for you! Rukhmabai Initiatives was launched in 2020, in honor of one of India’s first practicing female doctors. This year, we will be providing three grants of Rs 40,000 each. Each grantee will produce three stories – two profiles and one feature story – aligned with the objective of Rukhmabai Initiatives; to inspire and inform. The link to the applications is in the show notes and the last date of submission is 31st January 2023 Apply Now! Follow TIEH podcast on Twitter, Linkedin and YouTube Ulka Kelkar is on Twitter, Linkedin Our host, Shreya Jai on Twitter, Linkedin & Dr. Sandeep Pai on Twitter, Linkedin Podcast Producer, Tejas Dayananda Sagar on Twitter and Linkedin

A major part of India's energy transition would come from the power sector but for the broader goal of decarbonization, energy-intensive industries need to plan a green future. The steel industry which forms the backbone of the country's infrastructure growth is the foremost industry to plan a transition. The sector which relies on metal mining, drives bulk electricity demand and employment generation across its supply chain. This makes it imperative for it to lead to industrial decarbonization in the country. To understand the shift undergoing the steel sector, we spoke with Manish Mishra. A seasoned steel sector executive, Mishra has held various roles at a variety of locations in Tata Steel, one of India's leading steel producers. Mishra is currently Chief Corporate Affairs with the company in New Delhi. Full transcript of the episode is available here Follow TIEH podcast on Twitter, Linkedin and YouTube Manish Mishra is on Linkedin Our host, Shreya Jai on Twitter, Linkedin & Dr. Sandeep Pai on Twitter, Linkedin Podcast Producer, Tejas Dayananda Sagar on Twitter and Linkedin

India has set a net zero target by 2070. If this target is to be achieved, India will have to reduce its reliance on coal. However, decreasing coal production and use is complex as it will impact millions of workers, communities and coal-dependent states. In order to mitigate the impact on workers and communities in coal-dependent states, the states will have to enable a just energy transition and the planning will need to start from now. Jharkhand, India’s most coal-dependent state has acknowledged the enormous just transition challenge and has taken a bold initiative by creating a new task force on just transition. The work and success of this task force has the potential to inspire other coal-dependent states to follow suit. To get a ringside understanding of this just transition in Jharkhand we interviewed Mr. Ajay Kumar Rastogi, Chairman of Jharkhand’s Sustainable Just Transition Taskforce. Mr. Rastogi recently retired as the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests after serving for over three decades in key ministries of Forest and Climate Change, Land and Revenue in Jharkhand and Bihar. Full transcript of the episode is available here Follow TIEH podcast on Twitter, Linkedin and YouTube Ajay Kumar Rastogi is on Twitter and Linkedin Our host, Shreya Jai on Twitter, Linkedin & Dr. Sandeep Pai on Twitter, Linkedin Podcast Producer, Tejas Dayananda Sagar on Twitter and Linkedin

India's energy transition stands at the crossroads of meeting the nation's rising energy demand and pressure at the global front to reduce emissions. Having now committed to a low carbon development plan and a net zero target year, all eyes are on India to declare the expiry date of coal. To get a ringside understanding of this complex issue, we invited Dr. Anil Kumar Jain. He has held senior positions at key ministries of petroleum, environment, NITI Aayog, and the erstwhile Planning Commission. He recently retired as the secretary, ministry of coal where he initiated a division and dialogue on just transition in the country's coal sector. Jain has also authored two books on India's natural gas sector and holds a Ph.D. on the same. He has served as a bureaucrat for 3 decades. Books by Anil Kumar Jain: Natural Gas in India: Challenges and Opportunities - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60789642-natural-gas-in-india\ Natural Gas in India: Liberalisation and Policy - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13689725-natural-gas-in-india Full transcript of the episode is available here Follow TIEH podcast on Twitter, Linkedin and YouTube Our host, Shreya Jai on Twitter, Linkedin & Dr. Sandeep Pai on Twitter, Linkedin Podcast Producer, Tejas Dayananda Sagar on Twitter and Linkedin

The upcoming COP27 is expected to set the tone for developing economies to strengthen their climate-focused demands from the developed world. Adaptation solutions, loss and damage funds, and enhanced climate financing are likely to be the focus areas. Though the shadow of the Russia-Ukraine war and impending recession might impact negotiations, it is no doubt that climate-related challenges faced by the African nations will be under the spotlight. To discuss the issues and challenges faced by the developing countries and how Africa can negotiate a deal at COP27 that benefits the continent, we talked with James Irungu Mwangi, Executive Director, Dalberg Group in Kenya. James Mwangi is a sustainable development and inclusive growth expert with a career spanning more than two decades in public policy, energy and strategic planning. Full transcript of the episode is available here Follow TIEH podcast on Twitter, Linkedin and YouTube James Mwangi is on Twitter and Linkedin Our host, Shreya Jai on Twitter, Linkedin & Dr. Sandeep Pai on Twitter, Linkedin Podcast Producer, Tejas Dayananda Sagar on Twitter and Linkedin

For any meaningful climate action in India, the 28 Indian states and 8 union territories will have to play a crucial role. They have to maintain nodes of implementation of climate plans. But are the states ready to embrace the national and international ambitions of climate action? Could pushing central targets lead to more tussle between centre and states? Would states have the governance structures and stakeholder capacity for transforming their energy economies? To understand the role of states in the Indian energy transition, we interviewed Dr. Kartikeya Singh, Director of the Global Energy Futures Initiative at the Climate Imperative Foundation. Dr. Singh has worked for decades fostering energy transition and climate action in Indian states along with helping these states build global partnerships. Full transcript of the episode is available here Follow TIEH podcast on Twitter, Linkedin and YouTube Kartikeya Singh is on Twitter and Linkedin Our host, Shreya Jai on Twitter, Linkedin & Dr. Sandeep Pai on Twitter, Linkedin Podcast Producer, Tejas Dayananda Sagar on Twitter and Linkedin

If India wants to achieve its net zero goal by 2070, energy storage technologies will have to play a crucial role. From battery to pump storage, several different technologies are now commercially available in 5 countries and several others are at the R&D stage. They would all need to be deployed at a scale several magnitudes higher than today as India embarks on the path of the energy transition. And this would require policy push, financial backing and reconciling with socio-economic issues. To understand the landscape of energy storage technologies and their future in India, we interviewed Dr. Rahul Walawalkar, President and Managing Director of Customized Energy Solutions India Pvt. Ltd. Rahul is also the founder and Executive Director for India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA). Rahul is considered India’s foremost expert on energy storage, energy management, smart grid deployment and much more. Full transcript of the episode is available here Follow TIEH podcast on Twitter, Linkedin and YouTube Rahul Walawalkar is on Twitter and Linkedin Our host, Shreya Jai on Twitter, Linkedin & Dr. Sandeep Pai on Twitter, Linkedin Podcast Producer, Tejas Dayananda Sagar on Twitter and Linkedin

As COP27 inches closer, the promises and commitments made during the last global climate conference are under scrutiny. India which was the biggest surprise, thanks to its Net Zero target year announcement has been under the scanner for laying out its climate plans. The Union Cabinet recently approved India's Nationally Determined Contributions which though exhaustive, is still falling short on several fronts - major being climate adaptation. While mitigation measures are being given due importance, specific targets are yet to be drafted. In order for India, among other large economies, to step up its mitigation and adaptation efforts, it needs to raise ambition domestically, bringing policy coherence across the central and state governments, and ensuring access to finance from rich countries. To understand how India should prioritize its mitigation and adaptation efforts, we interviewed Harjeet Singh, Senior Adviser at Climate Action Network. Harjeet is a global expert on the issues of climate impacts, migration and adaptation and has spent two decades working in development sectors. Full transcript of the episode is available here Follow TIEH podcast on Twitter, Linkedin and YouTube Harjeet Singh is on Twitter and Linkedin Our host, Shreya Jai on Twitter, Linkedin & Dr. Sandeep Pai on Twitter, Linkedin Podcast Producer, Tejas Dayananda Sagar on Twitter and Linkedin