The session was in the form of a structured panel discussion where key Indian policymakers were requested to comment on how India has been addressing the energy trilemma.
- Energy Security: How India manage to overcome the persistence of capacity shortages by scaling up the renewable energy (RE) capacity to 85,000 MW? Does RE ensure energy security in terms of reliable supply and reducing import dependence? Is there a need for energy storage as India approaches 175,000 MW of RE capacity? What would be the future of the existing coal fleet of 200,000 MW? Will they become stranded assets? What are the lessons other developing countries can draw from the Indian experience of scaling up renewable energy capacity additions and bringing down the cost of RE?
- Energy Equity: How did India achieve universal access to electricity? What were the driving forces and what are the lessons learned? How can energy access be made affordable to the poor? The proposed innovations to direct benefit transfer (DBT), adoption of smart meters and pre-paid meters to improve the affordability and collections of DISCOMs. How can smart grid applications including net metering under KUSUM scheme for the agriculture sector be utilized to address the issue of low collection efficiency in rural India?
- Sustainability: The role of end-user energy efficiency in greening of India's energy sector and in ensuring sustainability. The innovative business model of super ESCO (EESL) to drive the end-user energy efficiency in India context? Lessons learned and its applicability to other developing countries.
- - Are there technical issues in integrating 175,000 MW of intermittent RE in the Indian grid? Is there a need for market innovations to establish an ancillary service market and capacity market? Is there a hidden cost in renewable integration that needs to be borne by other players in the Indian power market?
- - What are the challenges of promoting E Mobility and E vehicles in the Indian context? What is the role of smart grids in RE integration and in promoting E vehicles?
Opening Remark:
Priyantha Wijayatunga, Director (Energy Division), SARD, Asian Development Bank
Moderator:
Pradeep Perera, Principal Energy Specialist, Asian Development Bank (ADB)
Panelists:
- Mr. Anil Srivastava, Mission Director, National Mission for Transformative Mobility and Battery Storage (NITI Aayog)
- Mr. Saurabh Kumar, Managing Director, Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL)
- Mr. Jatindra Nath Swain, Chairman and Managing Director, Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI)
- Mr. M.B. Rajesh Gowda, Managing Director, Bengaluru Electricity Supply Company (BESCOM)
- Mr. Pankaj Batra, Project Director, SARI/EI/IRADe and Ex-Chairperson, Central Electricity Authority