Renewable energy can play a pivotal role in shaping the future of power resources in India. The same sentiment has been shared in the new version of Energy [R]evolution report, which has been launched by non-profit organisation Greenpeace International. The NGO claims that consistent and long term renewable energy policy framework can lead to creation of lakhs of jobs and double the savings on investments by 2050. “Fourteen jobs are created to produce one mega watt of solar power and they do not take a very long time to build,” said Sven Teske, senior energy expert, Greenpeace International.
The report which has been jointly drafted by Greenpeace, the Global Wind Energy Council and the European Renewable Energy Council suggests ways to diversify energy production in India by investing more in solar, wind and biomass energy generation. The report says that since the coal reserves of India would get depleted in the next 45 years and the price volatility of oil imports could significantly threaten India’s energy security, expansion of renewable energy technologies could come to India’s rescue. “A transition to renewable energy is the best and the only option for the government to secure the future growth of our nation,” said Abhishek Pratap, senior energy, Greenpeace.
To achieve the Energy [R]evolution scenario of Greenpeace, which envisages producing 91 per cent electricity through renewable sources by 2050, the report has also suggested certain policy measures. It includes diverting majority of investments for developing renewable energy and creating a dedicated Renewable Energy Collateral Fund.
The report argues that developing renewable energy would meet the “twin objective of sustaining high GDP-based economic growth and providing access of modern energy infrastructure to its people, while at the same time maintaining its pledge to not exceed its per-capita emission from that of developed nations.” If the roadmap suggested is followed, the carbon emission per person can go down form 1.4 ton now to 0.3 ton in 2050 as per the report.
