Securing India's energy future

India's development aspirations are challenged by energy security and climate change considerations. The integrated energy policy clearly deliberates the need to intensify all energy options with emphasis on maximizing indigenous coal production, harnessing hydropower, increasing adoption of renewables, intensifying hydrocarbon exploration and production and anchoring nuclear power development to meet the long-term requirements. The report also emphasizes the need to secure overseas hydrocarbon and coal assets. Subsequently the National Action Plan on climate change has underscored the need to wean away from fossil fuels, the ambitious National Solar Mission is a case in point. Ultimately securing India's energy future lies in clean coal, safe nuclear and innovative solar. Coal is the key energy option in the foreseeable future. Initiatives are needed to take lead role in clean coal technologies, in-situ coal gasification, tapping coal bed methane, coal to liquids and coal to gas technologies. There is need to intensify oil exploration by laying the road-map to open acreage to unlock the hydrocarbon potential. Pursue alternate routes based on shale, methane from marginal fields. Effectively to use oil diplomacy to secure and diversify sources of supply including trans-national pipelines and engage with friendly countries to augment strategic resources. Technologies to be accessed and developed with international co-operation and financial assistance. Public-Private Partnerships, in collaborative R and D projects need to be accelerated. Nuclear share of electricity generation capacity to be increased 6 to 7% of 63000 MW by 2031-32 and further to 25% (300000 MW) capacity by 2050 is to be realized by operationalizing the country's thorium programme. Nuclear renaissance has opened up opportunities for the Indian industry to meet not only India's requirements but also participate in the global nuclear commerce; India has the potential to emerge as a manufacturing hub and a centre of service providers. Public support needs to be mobilized that nuclear power is safe with the necessary regulatory oversight and that the nuclear power is essential to meet their expectation of livelihoods and lifestyles at affordable costs. Thus a slew of short-term and long-term strategies are required to secure our country's energy future. (author)