Alternative energy sources in India- As effective as fossil fuels for Development?
The world has been reliant on fossil fuels like coal, fuel oil, natural gas, etc. which are non-renewable sources of energy since the beginning of the industrial revolution. It welcomed an age of progress in technology and economy wherein the bourgeois could enjoy the lavish lifestyle they dreamt of but at the same time opened a pandora’s box which saw an increase in global temperature levels and pollution. It marked the beginning of a new era called the Anthropocene due to the permanent geological devastation that was done by homo sapiens sapiens. Having felt the catastrophic effects of the utilization of fossil fuels, global policies are on the rise to curb this over-dependence on non-renewable energy sources and look for cleaner alternatives.
India has always been one of the global leaders taking on this challenge of shifting its gear to renewable sources of energy with it being the first country in the world to set up a ministry of New and Renewable Energy. India entered the Paris Agreement in 2015 and has since overachieved almost all its expectations with more than 37% of its electricity being generated by solar power. Along with the initiatives like ISA with 121 member countries, India also boasts of having both the world’s largest and second-largest solar power plants. India is a newcomer in terms of utilizing its Wind power potential but is the 4th global producer.
However, it has long been a misnomer that fossil fuels are the primary sources of economic development owing to its cheap cost of production. India has indeed been one of the largest producers of coal but its consumption has seen a massive decline recently mostly due to the decreased activity owing to the pandemic. Furthermore, the cost of solar power is far below that of thermal power plants and without a concrete future plan, India could take up 2020 as a fresh start to roll out an energy policy targeted at shifting its utilization to renewable energy. India has proven to the world with its healthy economic recovery of GDP in the second quarter that a green energy initiative is the way forward.
