Opportunities and challenges in India’s energy future

As countries around the world look ahead to the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris, many discussions will focus on efforts to reduce carbon emissions and the potential resulting impacts on development. In India, for example, increasing industrialization and energy access come with rising CO2 emissions, and, as a result, the Indian government faces challenges in meeting climate change targets without slowing economic growth. In response earlier this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government announced ambitious targets for renewable energy, including an investment goal of $100 billion to increase solar capacity to 100,000 megawatts by 2022. While renewables have the opportunity to transform India’s electricity sector, challenges of scalability and economic viability are major obstacles on the path to India realistically achieving its clean energy goals.

On May 1, the Energy Security and Climate Initiative (ESCI) at Brookings hosted a conversation with Rahul Tongia, nonresident fellow with Brookings India in New Delhi, on the future of renewable energy in India. Tongia highlighted findings from “Making Renewable Power Sustainable in India,” a recent Brookings India publication. ESCI Senior Fellow Charles Ebinger moderated the discussion and audience Q&A.

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