India taking various measures to encourage energy transition: BEE DG

As part of its net zero commitments, India is taking various measures to encourage energy transition for industries in the domestic market as well as at the global level, a senior government official has said.

Abhay Bakre, Director General (DG) of Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), further said that various forward-looking measures are slated to be discussed at the upcoming meets of the Energy Transitions Working Group (ETWG).

BEE, under the ministry of power, promotes the use of energy-efficient processes, equipment, devices and systems. It takes various steps to encourage preferential treatment for the use of energy-efficient equipment or appliances.

The meetings to be held under India's G20 presidency will focus on "accelerating energy transition in hard-to-abate sectors, need for expanding markets for low carbon industrial products through standards for green materials, and development of a common mission on energy efficiency that elevates, supports and invests with a particular focus on developing economies," he told PTI during an interaction.

The third and fourth meetings of ETWG are scheduled to be held on May 15-17 in Mumbai and on July 19-20 in Goa.

The grouping led by India will focus on the need for platforms to highlight best practices in terms of policy development and inducing behavioral changes for effective outcomes, accelerating efforts on adoption of super-efficient appliances and their future deployments through appropriate incentives.

The participants will also discuss prioritising citizen-centred approaches for behavioural shifts that are conducive for economic recovery in regions, sustainable job creation, improvements in health and citizens welfare, and energy security.

On various steps being taken by India, the official said "India has emphasised on the importance of carbon pricing in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and urged G-20 countries to explore options for implementing carbon pricing mechanisms."

India is encouraging the member countries to increase their investments in clean energy technologies, including solar, wind, and energy storage. It has also highlighted the importance of improving access to finance for clean energy projects.

In area of energy efficiency, India has highlighted its efforts in reducing energy demand and emissions. It has suggested G-20 countries to adopt energy-efficient technologies and practices, particularly in the building and transportation sectors.

In India, the government launched Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana (UDAY) which aims to improve the financial health of state power distribution companies by reducing their debt burden and improving their operational efficiency.

Similarly, Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) was introduced in 2016 to provide clean cooking fuel to women in rural areas. The scheme provides free LPG connections to eligible households and has already benefitted over 8 crore households.

Initiatives like Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid &) Electric Vehicles (FAME) India Scheme and Atal Jyoti Yojana promote the adoption of electric and hybrid vehicles and solar-powered lighting to rural areas, a move which reduces emission footprint.

"The India-led International Solar Alliance (ISA) is a coalition of solar-rich countries aiming at promoting solar energy globally. These steps have helped India to increase its renewable energy capacity significantly and reduce its reliance on fossil fuels. The government's efforts towards energy transition are expected to continue in the coming years to achieve its target of net-zero emissions by 2070," he said.