The India Energy Hour Presented by 101Reporters

Talking about climate change, especially in the developing world, is no longer a topic of so-called "academic interest". There are now multitudes of issues involved, countless lobbies on both sides of the debate and largely uninformed public. Climate communication in such a scenario becomes pertinent and as important as the climate issues themselves. But climate comms, especially in the West have been long alleged for whitewashing facts and greenwashing any and every step that the Global North took to tackle climate change. In the middle of this, Aarti Khosla launched what can be said to be India's first dedicated climate communication platform Climate Trends. Khosla has been in the communication sector for her whole career and has been associated with leading NGOs, climate groups etc. Khosla is also Director, CarbonCopy, a dedicated platform for climate-related news. Timestamp: 0:00 - Podcast intro 2:35 - About Aarti Khosla and her professional journey 5:00 - Some of the most successful climate comms campaigns led by Aarti. 7:39 - Driving force behind starting Climate Trends? 9:55 - Tips and tricks to simplify climate to layman and the role of climate comms in India 17:31 - Strategies for balancing the narrative of energy transition fossil fuel 26:23 - Some of the key issues/concepts that are difficult to communicate. 30:15 - Climate communication has been very specific to the global north. 39:57 - Modes of communication which have been most effective 45:10 - Engaging with policymakers 48:14 - Handling the criticism of whitewashing that Climate communication faces from the media. 51:49 - Podcast outro Follow TIEH podcast on Twitter, Linkedin and YouTube Aarti Khosla 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 recently enforced a ban on single-use plastic items across the country. This move will have a ripple effect across several industries, including FMCG. Experts, however, view this as a bold step towards waste management in the country. Of this, an impeding concern is over renewable energy waste. Solar wastes are generated by discarded solar panels. India is planning to meet its 500 GW target of renewable energy by 2030. Estimates reveal solar industry alone could generate over 34,600 tonnes of cumulative waste by 2030. Bharati Chaturvedi, Founder and Director of Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group, talks about how India is managing its waste currently, with a focus on solar waste. She goes on to share what can be done to tackle this growing quantum of energy and industrial waste. A cross-cutting environmental and public policy expert, Bharati works closely with government agencies to improve waste governance in India.

India's renewable energy sector is facing an unusual dilemma - on one side are the ambitious targets set out by the government and on the other are problems and issues that come with rampant growth and increase in size of the industry. One such issue is the GIB or Great Indian Bustard case in Rajasthan and Gujarat where 20 GW of solar and wind power projects face an uncertain future. Planned in the breeding areas of GIB, an endangered bird, green energy and ecology are in direct conflict. Subrahmanyam Pulipaka is leading the fight from the end of the industry. He is CEO of National Solar Energy Federation of India (NSEFI), a non profit, non government representative body of the solar sector in the country. Having dabbled both research and project development career paths, Subrahmanyam is looking at ways and means for both energy and ecology to co-exist. Timestamp: 0:00 - Podcast intro 1:56 - About Subrahmanyam Pulipaka and what it is to be in policy advocacy. 14:19 - Land and ecology issues being faced by the renewable energy sector. 18:57 - Genesis of the Great Indian Bustard (GIB) controversy and the repercussions. 28:19 - Importance of the GIB native land in Rajasthan and Gujarat. 34:44 - Cost implications due to the GIB matter. 36:58 - Need of Environmental Impact Assessment for green energy projects. 43:33 - Bearing the additional cost for saving the ecology - how receptive is the industry and locals? 48:34 - Where is the land then for 500 GW dream target? 57:30 - How do the investors look at these problems? 1:02:47 - Key policy changes required to change the face of this sector. 1:09:22 - Podcast outro

As it has been happening for years now, coal and power crisis has gripped India yet again. Severe heatwaves caused due to climate crisis coupled with mismatch in coal demand and supply, led to a nationwide power crisis. Electricity distribution utilities are resorting to power cuts, Centre is pushing imported coal and ministries of coal and railways are at loggerheads. To guide us through this maze of crisis, our host Dr. Sandeep Pai spoke with two journalists with their ears on the ground. Sarita C Singh, a seasoned energy journalist and an expert on fossil fuels and energy policies...along with our co-host Shreya Jai, senior energy and climate journalist. Timestamp: 0:00 - Podcast intro 2:42 - What is the genesis of the coal/power crisis? 8:15 - Why there is always a knee jerk reaction to this? 13:44 - Govt pushes states, gencos to import coal. How feasible it is? 17:24 - Did gas or renewables play a role in this crisis? 21:21 - Do you think there is a plan B for gas? 23:44 - How can renewable play a role in averting such crisis in the future? 26:47 - How can discoms find a way to make payments? 35:44 - How does coal crisis impact India's climate mitigation plan? Can coal be retired at all? 45:29 - Shouldn’t India be more aggressive on decentralised renewable system? 50:00 - How do we ensure that this crisis doesn’t happen again next year? 54:46 - Podcast outro Follow TIEH podcast on Twitter, Linkedin and YouTube.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) working group III recently released a report on climate change mitigation. It assessed methods for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and provided many policy solutions for how countries can contain the climate crisis. To understand what this new IPCC report says, we interviewed Professor Navroz Dubash of the Center for Policy Research and Professor Harald Winkler of the University of Cape Town. Both Navroz and Harald are contributing lead authors of the report and have decades of experience working on climate policy issues. Follow TIEH podcast on Twitter, Linkedin and YouTube.

Increased heat, drought and wildfires are all linked to climate change. Climate change has altered the physical geography in rural areas by disappearing flora and fauna, and other natural habitats that constitute the livelihood of the local people. In order to understand the ground reality of climate impact in rural areas, we spoke with M Raghuram, Senior Journalist from Karnataka; Shuchita Jha, Journalist at Down To Earth, India; and Tazeen Qureshy, Independent Journalist based in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. Follow TIEH podcast on Twitter, Linkedin and YouTube.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released a report recently that made global headlines. A fact from the report came out as a dire warning - over 40% of the world's population is "highly vulnerable" to climate change. However, there is much more in this report, which was authored by 270 researchers from 67 countries. The report explains the global and regional impacts of climate change, evaluates the adaptation efforts and explains the vulnerabilities faced by humans with rising temperatures. To understand what this new IPCC report says climate change could and is costing Indians, we interviewed Chandni Singh, Senior Researcher at Indian Institute for Human Settlements. Chandni is one of the co-authors of the IPCC report and has authored many other important reports on the topics ranging from climate change, adaptation, vulnerability, migration to livelihoods. Follow TIEH podcast on Twitter, Linkedin and YouTube.

Since 2003 when the electricity market in India opened up to private investment, variety of market mechanisms also came up along with it. Long term power purchase agreements have been backbone of power supply in the country. But other short and medium terms contracts have helped meeting sudden demand surge, acted as bridge supply and lately given sale options for renewable energy. Similar contracts have now emerged in the Gas market as well. To understand how the Indian energy trading market works, how it can be made more efficient and real-time, we talked with Rajesh K Mediratta. Mediratta is a sector veteran and has worked with Load Despatch Centres, power system operator and has been instrumental in launching India's first electricity trading platform -  Indian Electricity Exchange. He is currently MD and CEO, Indian Gas Exchange. Timestamp: 0:00 - Podcast intro 0:50 - About RK Mediratta and his professional journey 17:50 - Journey of India’s Electricity trading market 30:25 - Typical contracts that the power exchanges offer in India and how the price discovery mechanism works 33:37 - Level of intervention by the platform in price discovery 36:46 - Convincing discoms to come on exchanges - Allegations of windfall gain during times of electricity supply shortage. 44:47 - How do other electricity markets in Europe function 50:50 - How does Gas exchange function in India? 57:15 - Will gas exchange act as a bridge fuel and help the Indian electricity market in any way? Can both exist in sync? 1:00:15 - Possibility of coal trading in India 1:04:33 - What kind of role can electricity exchange play in the energy transition in India? 1:08:16 - What is the next big thing that the Indian energy market will witness? 1:10:55 - Podcast outro Follow TIEH podcast on Twitter, Linkedin and YouTube.

In the last few years, India electrified nearly all its households by extending the  national grid. Yet, reliability of available power is still a major concern. Some rural and remote areas still face power cuts of nearly 10-12 hours a day. Lack of reliable power prevents local economic development as factories and shops cannot function efficiently. Domestic expense also increases as households rely on expensive alternatives such as diesel run generators. While the centralised power grid will see improvements over time and might be able to provide more reliable power, decentralized renewable energy based mini-grids can also be an effective supplementary solution. To understand the role of distributed renewable energy in the future of India’s electricity systems, we interviewed Saugata Datta, India Country Director of Husk Power Systems, a company that operates 100s of mini-grids across India and Africa. Saugata has worked with several leading renewable energy companies in India for over two decades and has expertise in clean energy solutions and energy access projects. Follow TIEH podcast on Twitter, Linkedin and YouTube.

The power transmission network is the backbone of any nation's electricity grid. India needs to rapidly expand and overhaul its electricity grid network to undertake a successful energy transition and ensure reliable power to all. While state-owned Power Grid Corporation of India (PGCIL) has led the growth of power transmission in India, a handful of private companies entered the fray in the last decade. But the expansion of India's power transmission network for growing renewable energy capacity would need immense capital, more than what the traditional financing routes could offer. Alternative funding avenues are now emerging in India. IndiGrid, India’s first listed power transmission infrastructure investment trust or InvIT is aspiring to become one such innovative financial model. To understand how routes such as InvIT can facilitate global investment in the Indian power transmission and green energy sector while also creating value for investors, we interviewed Harsh Shah, Chief Executive Officer of IndiGrid. Harsh has extensive experience in the infrastructure sector across financing, operations, M&A and regulatory policy. This episode was recorded before Union Budget Suggested Readings: "Section 54EC states that if the profit made on sale of a long-term capital asset – whether an immovable property or shares and stocks – is invested by the taxpayer in 'long-term specified assets' within 6 months of the sale, then the capital gains are exempt from taxation." 1. Harsh Shah profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harsh-shah-8634bb6/ 2. IndiGrid website: https://www.indigrid.co.in/ 3. SEBI guidelines: https://www.sebi.gov.in/legal/circulars/may-2016/guidelines-for-public-issue-of-units-of-invits_32500.html Timestamp: 0:00 - Podcast intro 0:48 - About Harsh Shah and his professional journey 6:42 - Story of IndiGrid - how it started, key factors and people who shaped it. 14:12 - Status of power transmission infrastructure in India. How it could be enhanced to meet Climate targets and the role of InvIT in it? 20:38 - Functioning InvIT, key investors, regulations that make the market and type of assets. 28:02 - How are new assets acquired if 90% of the profits are returned back? What type of investors InvIT attracts in general and at IndiGrid? 34:57 - Reason for insurance companies and pension funds to show interest in InvIT. 39:21 - Global examples of such financing instruments such as InvIT. 42:06 -: Can InvIT build assets? How are renewable assets suitable to InvIT? 46:03 - Indian renewable assets are low in return. Why then it's compatible with InvIT like model? 49:24 - Is the competitive tariff wars happening in the renewable energy space bad news for investment companies? Should InvIT be used for refinancing rather? 54:46 - When renewables will become a game of financing in the longer run, do you think we should have more actions on financing instruments? 59:21 - How the financial markets have matured in the past decade vis-a-vis regulations and quality/confidence of investors and instruments. Follow TIEH podcast on Twitter, Linkedin and YouTube.