IEA CALLS FOR OVERHAUL OF ENERGY MIX FOR ZERO EMISSIONS BY 2060

NEW DELHI: India needs to adopt transformational changes in its energy mix to be able to transition to net zero emissions by the mid2060s, according to the India Energy Outlook report by the International Energy Agency.

Net zero emissions mean that any new greenhouse gas emissions are balanced by absorbing an equivalent amount from the atmosphere. Several countries including the United States, China and members of the European Union have already announced plans to achieve net zero emissions in the coming decades.

To achieve net zero emissions by the 2060s, India’s energy sector will need “profound transformation”, India Energy Outlook said. India is the fourth largest global energy consumer after China, the US and the European Union.

At current growth rate, India will overtake the EU by 2030 to move up to third position. India’s GDP growth rate will add the equivalent of another Japan to the world economy by 2040, IEA said.

For India to achieve net zero emissions, energy demand in 2040 should fall nearly 30% below the projected level, based on current policies, with a complete switch from traditional biomass-based energy. India will have to shift away from coal, and solar photovoltaic cells will have to take up coal’s share of electricity generation a full decade ahead of what current policies envisage, the IEA report explained.

“As the report highlights, India needs to work towards a climate resilient and low carbon development strategy. This can be achieved by looking at sectoral transitions (particularly in energy, transport and industry sectors). We are seeing that energy efficiency continues to increase, largely driven by energyintensity reduction across sectors. Further, electrification of fossil fuel use will accelerate – especially as system-wide cost-effectiveness increases. Green hydrogen and biomass-based fuels will predominate in applications where electrification is not viable,” said Abhishek Kaushik, Associate Fellow and Area Convener, Centre for Global Environment Research, The Energy and Resources Institute.