Renewable energy- future beckons for India!

Prof K S Chandrasekar
vc@clujammu.ac.in
Indian economy has increased tenfold in the last three decades and is projected to be the third largest, with an estimated GDP of $7.3 trillion by 2030. Jostling for the same, the economic growth has also led to an unprecedented increase in its annual material consumption, which grew from 1.18 billion tonnes in 1970 to 7 billion tonnes in 2015 and is projected to reach 14.2 billion tonnes by 2030. UN has given SDG long back for nations to follow so that they achieve the objectives by 2030. As India strives to become a Viksit Bharat, a developed economy, by 2047, it must restructure its growth model to a more resource-efficient one by embedding circular strategies. This shift is not an environmental but an economic imperative that boosts jobs, growth, and sustainability.
Sustainability is a dynamic process which enables all people to realize their potential and to improve their quality of life in ways that simultaneously protect and enhance the Earth’s life support systems. Indigenous communities, who have lived sustainability on Earth for centuries, typically define sustainability around principles of relationality, community-based governance, quality of life and health, and communal recognition of nature and external, non-human entities as life-givers and enablers. Sustainability clearly exists to find balance between economic, societal, and environmental needs, both now and in the future. It’s also a form of systems thinking which recognizes everything is connected, actions cannot be compartmentalized, and no individual, organization, or nation operates by itself. It can only be cherished through protecting and progressing in the field of renewable energy.
As per millennium institute report, renewable energy refers to energy derived from natural resources that replenish themselves continually and sustainably, such as solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, and biomass. Unlike fossil fuels, renewable sources emit significantly lower greenhouse gases, reducing environmental impacts.The primary types of renewable energy areSolar Energy which is generated from sunlight using photovoltaic cells or solar thermal systems, Wind Energy produced by converting wind currents into electricity through wind turbines, Hydro Energy which is obtained from flowing or falling water, typically via dams and rivers, Geothermal Energy sourced from the heat within the earth and Biomass Energy which is called as geothermal energy and biomass energy derived from organic matter such as plants and agricultural waste.
Government of India has set up autonomous institutions to propagate the need for renewable energy. Sardar Swaran Singh National Institute of Bioenergy (SSS-NIBE), Kapurthala is one such autonomous Institution of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE). The Institute has a mandate to carry out state-of-the-art R&D and innovations, covering the entire spectrum of bioenergy leading to commercialization of technology and their integration with other renewable energy technologies.National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE) is another autonomous specialized institute under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India situated at Gwal Pahari on Gurugram-Faridabad Road in Haryanamandated for research and development, solar component testing and certification, capacity building, and development of solar products and applications.National Institute of Wind Energy (NIWE) was established in Chennai in the year 1998, as an autonomous R&D institution by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India. It has a Wind Turbine Test Station (WTTS) at Kayathar in South Tamil Nadu with the technical & partial financial support by DANIDA, Govt. of Denmark.
According to IEEFA, several Indian public sector undertakings (PSUs) have also been committing to install renewable energy capacity in a bid to decarbonise their operations, diversify their business portfolio and also contribute to the government’s renewables plans. Non-power sector PSUs, including Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) and GAIL, have a combined renewable capacity addition target of 16.5GW by 2030.
Renewable energy is now a critical factor in every country’s energy development, and countries around the world are planning, building, and incorporating greater amounts of wind, solar, hydro, storage, and geothermal capacity into their energy mix every year. The challenges to renewables from transmission, seasonal storage, grid flexibility, demand response, and digitization (among others) are substantial, but the benefits from zero-cost inputs, clean air, and energy security continue to drive this change. As renewable energy uptake rises, it will be crucial to monitor high-growth areas of expansion, like offshore wind and distributed systems, full-cost factors of incorporation like storage and smarter grids, as well as the flexibility and efficiency of consumers to shape demand and smooth peak load.
According to PIB, the solar PV sector in India employed about 318,600 people in both on-grid and off-grid systems. India added 9.7 GW of solar PV capacity in 2023 and ranked fifth globally for new installations and cumulative capacity, which reached 72.7 GW by the end of the year.Out of the 1.02 million people employed in India’s renewable energy sector in 2023, Hydropower and Solar Photovoltaic were the largest contributors, employing the most individuals. In addition to that, Wind Power generated 52,000 jobs, Liquid Biofuels provided 35,000, and Solid Biomass accounted for 58,000 jobs. The Solar Heating and Cooling sector employed 17,000 people, while Biogas created 85,000 jobs, showcasing the diverse employment landscape within the sector.
National Green Hydrogen mission, PM- KUSUM, PM Surya Ghar, PLI scheme, green energy corridors can generate more entrepreneurs also and can provide direct and indirect employment. By ensuring job opportunities alongside energy transition, India not only advances its environmental goals but also fosters a robust economy that supports livelihoods nationwide.Team lease services, a manpower company projects that As India pushes towards its goal of 500 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030, employment in the renewable energy sector is projected to grow by 18.9% this fiscal year 2025-26.Organisations are also seeking professionals qualified in solar, wind, and hybrid energy systems, with growing demand for solar PV technicians, roofers, production operators, storage operators, waste management specialists, energy auditors, and operational support roles. This is high time, universities in J&K use this opportunity to launch very attractive programmes by offering certificate, diploma and degree in this specific area so that appropriate opportunities are created in employment and entrepreneurship for the aspiring young students of J&K. Cluster University of Jammu is keen on providing support to the needy and ensuring overall benefits for the student community and creating entrepreneurship in J&K. “India is not just aiming to be a developed nation but a global example of sustainable energy, prioritizing solar, wind, and hydro power due to limited fossil fuel reserves” quotes Prime Minister Modiji which augurs well for this sector with ample opportunities.
(The author is Vice Chancellor, Cluster University of Jammu)

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