The India Energy Hour Presented by 101Reporters

Nearly 2.8 billion people around the world depend on solid fuels such as firewood and biomass for their cooking needs. Majority of such people reside in African and Asian countries including in India. India has made significant progress in enhancing access to modern fuels through policies that support greater use of LPG cylinders. However, several issues still remain. To understand the Indian clean cooking challenge and the required interventions, we interviewed Abhishek Kar, Senior Programme Lead at the Council on Energy, Environment and Water. Abhishek have led numerous studies on energy access in India and in other countries, and is a known expert in this area. Full transcript of the episode is available in English Presented by 101Reporters Follow TIEH podcast on Twitter, Linkedin & YouTube Abhishek Kar is on Twitter & Linkedin Our hosts, Shreya Jai on Twitter, Linkedin & Dr. Sandeep Pai on Twitter, Linkedin

Imagine a future where every rooftop is a mini power station, contributing to a cleaner and greener environment. This isn't just a dream—it's the potential of decentralized renewable energy projects. From innovative micrgrids to efficient rooftop solar panels, these solutions are revolutionizing the way we power our lives. To know more, We sat with Dr. Debajit Palit; He has a PhD in Energy Policy and an MSc in Physics. He is currently a professor at the NTPC School of Business. He has dabbled in the roles of professor, author, and researcher. Full transcript of the episode is available in English Presented by 101Reporters Follow TIEH podcast on Twitter, Linkedin & YouTube Dr. Debajit Patil is on Twitter & Linkedin Our hosts, Shreya Jai on Twitter, Linkedin & Dr. Sandeep Pai on Twitter, Linkedin

India has ambitions to install 500 GW of renewable energy by 2030. Achieving this target would require large scale finance, sound policies and much more. To understand how India can achieve its renewable energy targets, we interviewed Vibhuti Garg, Director of South Asia at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis. Vibhuti is an expert on energy pricing, adoption of new technologies, subsidy reforms, enhancing clean energy access and more. Full transcript of the episode is available in English. Presented by 101Reporters Follow TIEH podcast on Twitter, Linkedin & YouTube Vibhuti Garg is on Twitter & Linkedin Our hosts, Shreya Jai on Twitter, Linkedin & Dr. Sandeep Pai on Twitter, Linkedin

Season 4 of The India Energy Hour Podcast is here. To kickstart the season, the hosts are here to give a primer on what all to expect in India's journey towards energy transition. It is the year of general elections in India. A lot of policies and political decisions hinge on that. But there is other exciting stuff too. From India's maiden critical mineral auction to more engagement on just transition, this could be the year India walks the talk on energy transition. Tune in to get a 360 degree view of India's energy and climate action landscape as we step into the new year. Full transcript of the episode is available in English Presented by 101Reporters Follow TIEH podcast on Twitter, Linkedin & YouTube Our hosts, Shreya Jai on Twitter, Linkedin & Dr. Sandeep Pai on Twitter, Linkedin

This year’s Conference of Parties (COP28), hosted in the oil-rich UAE, was full of ironies. There were apprehensions over the host, which has oil wells in its backyard. The COP28 President was the CEO of the national oil company. It was expected that at least the rich nations would drive more climate finance. But the negotiations that unfolded over the 12 days and the outcome caught many by surprise. The COP final text, for the first time, mentioned a transition away from fossil fuels. The decision was lauded, but the fine print is not that promising. There was no major uptick in climate finance; adaptation goals were left untouched, and the language towards the oil and gas sector was lopsided. To unfold the facets of the negotiations at COP28 and their impact on global climate dialogue and global warming, we talked with Jacob Koshy. Koshy is Deputy Science Editor at The Hindu and has been writing on science and technology for more than a decade. An engineer-tuned journalist, he has worked in some of the leading news dailies in India and is known for incisive reporting and comprehensive writing. Full transcript of the episode is available in English Presented by 101Reporters Follow TIEH podcast on Twitter, Linkedin & YouTube Jacob Koshy is on Twitter & Linkedin Our hosts, Shreya Jai on Twitter, Linkedin & Dr. Sandeep Pai on Twitter, Linkedin Podcast Producer, Tejas Dayananda Sagar on Twitter & Linkedin

India’s energy transition is central to global climate action. But where does India’s energy transition stand? What are the key challenges and opportunities in areas such as energy access, clean transportation and critical minerals. To understand the intricate dynamics of India's energy transition journey, we interviewed Aditya Ramji, Director of the India Zero Emission Vehicle Research Centre at the Institute of Transportation Studies, University of California, Davis. Aditya is a leading expert in areas of clean transportation, energy systems, and electric mobility. Full transcript of the episode is available in English and Hindi Presented by 101Reporters Follow TIEH podcast on Twitter, Linkedin & YouTube Aditya Ramji is on Twitter & Linkedin Our host Dr. Sandeep Pai on Twitter, Linkedin Podcast Producer, Tejas Dayananda Sagar on Twitter & Linkedin

India's energy transition currently comprises a set of ambitious targets, the pathway for which is yet to be designed. While at the Central level, there are a variety of policies, the real challenge lies in their execution. And at the execution level there are at least 28 different clogs to be taken care of. States will need to play a larger role if India has to effectively meet its energy transition goals while being in sync with economic growth. Coal rich states face the challenge of transitioning away from an existing socio-economic framework built over fossil fuels. Non coal ones need to plan for a greener future. And both sets need to have an economic adaptation plan in place for future climate risks. To unfold this complexity of India's energy transition, we talked with Ann Josey, Fellow at Prayas, and Rohit Chandra, Assistant Professor at IIT Delhi. Both Ann and Rohit study different aspects of Indian policymaking with focus on the energy sector and government institutions - both at the Central and State level. Suggested Readings: https://nipfp.org.in//media/medialibrary/2023/10/WP_402_2023.pdf https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/indigrid-awarded-its-first-battery-energy-storage-system-project-11597181.html http://www.prayaspune.org/peg/publications/item/377 https://energy.prayaspune.org/our-work/research-report/estimating-impact-of-renewable-energy-wheeling-and-banking-arrangement-on-karnataka-escoms https://energy.prayaspune.org/power-perspectives/virtual-net-metering-for-public-bodies-an-innovative-solution-for-improving-payment-discipline Full transcript of the episode is available in English and Hindi Presented by 101Reporters Follow TIEH podcast on Twitter, Linkedin & YouTube Guests: Ann Josey, Fellow at Prayas, and Rohit Chandra, Assistant Professor at IIT Delhi Our host, Shreya Jai on Twitter, Linkedin Podcast Producer, Tejas Dayananda Sagar on Twitter & Linkedin

Energy efficiency in India has become an important focus due to the country's growing energy demands, environmental concerns, and the need to reduce energy costs. Several initiatives and policies have been put in place to enhance energy efficiency across various sectors in India. In this episode, we interviewed Saurabh Kumar, India Head of Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP), who had a remarkable career in the energy efficiency space. He has previously worked with Energy Efficiency Services Limited as Executive Vice Chairperson and was appointed as Secretary of the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE). He delves into the role of energy efficiency in India's energy transition and the future of sustainable solutions. Full transcript of the episode is available in English and Hindi Presented by 101Reporters Follow TIEH podcast on Twitter, Linkedin & YouTube Saurabh Kumar is on Twitter & Linkedin Our hosts, Shreya Jai on Twitter, Linkedin & Dr. Sandeep Pai on Twitter, Linkedin Podcast Producer, Tejas Dayananda Sagar on Twitter & Linkedin

Climate tech is one of the emerging areas in the technology landscape offering a variety of new-age solutions for adapting to changing climate. Largely unexplored, climate tech has the potential to empower even the grassroot sectors with the ability to forecast and adapt to extreme weather and unprecedented climatic events. In this unique episode, we talked with Himanshu Gupta, the co-founder of Climate AI, who explained the various facets of climate tech, the emerging AI tools, and how he is deploying it in the sectors he operates. From agri to commodity supply chain, Gupta talked about the various tech solutions that AI can offer for safeguarding against climate risks. Full transcript of the episode is available in English and Hindi Presented by 101Reporters Follow TIEH podcast on Twitter, Linkedin & YouTube Himanshu Gupta is on Twitter & Linkedin Our hosts, Shreya Jai on Twitter, Linkedin & Dr. Sandeep Pai on Twitter, Linkedin Podcast Producer, Tejas Dayananda Sagar on Twitter & Linkedin

How many trillions would be required to reach zero? Are global dialogues enough to rake up funds? As countries race to meet their net carbon zero targets, it is the technological solutions and entrepreneurial ventures which could make it a reality. Capitalism has always been the antithesis of climate action. But what happens when you marry them both? To explore this, we talked with Akshat Rathi, Senior Reporter for Climate at Bloomberg News and host of their climate-solutions podcast Zero. He touches upon various aspects of climate and science reporting, entrepreneurship in the green energy sectors and his experience as a roving climate writer. With his first book Climate Capitalism coming out soon, Akshat also delves into the challenges and opportunities he had in researching and travelling for it. Akshat with an academic background in Organic Chemistry switched to science journalism. He earlier reported for Quartz in India before moving to the UK to be part of the Bloomberg News team. Full transcript of the episode is available in English & Hindi Presented by 101Reporters Follow TIEH podcast on Twitter, Linkedin & YouTube Akshat Rathi is on Twitter & Linkedin Our hosts, Shreya Jai on Twitter, Linkedin & Dr. Sandeep Pai on Twitter, Linkedin Podcast Producer, Tejas Dayananda Sagar on Twitter & Linkedin

As the G20 host, India deftly managed geopolitics, especially Russia-Ukraine, while driving energy and climate discussions. Topics like renewable energy, critical minerals, and sustainable finance took center stage, likely impacting the upcoming COP summit. India's challenge is finding unity among diverse priorities, addressing resource nationalism, and aligning nations in various green energy stages. The G20 Leaders' Summit underscores the quest for consensus on issues like fossil fuel abatement amidst complex political landscapes. To understand what the key themes of energy and climate are in the G20, what the sticking points are, and how they will shape the global dialogue on energy transition, we interviewed Swati D'Souza, India Lead Analyst and Coordinator at International Energy Agency (IEA), who provides insights into India's efforts and the key points of discussion during the G20 summit. Full transcript of the episode is available in English and Hindi Presented by 101Reporters Follow TIEH podcast on Twitter, Linkedin & YouTube Swati D’Souza is on Twitter & Linkedin Our hosts, Shreya Jai on Twitter, Linkedin & Dr. Sandeep Pai on Twitter, Linkedin Podcast Producer, Tejas Dayananda Sagar on Twitter & Linkedin

India's G20 presidency started amidst major geopolitical events, including the Russian invasion of Ukraine. These events reshaped energy markets and climate policies globally. As energy security considerations took center stage, countries started re-evaluating climate and energy policies. Most countries started looking inward, pushing for policies that secure energy security for them instead of building a global consensus on climate action. To understand how India is navigating the G20 presidency amidst geopolitical realignments and what the key challenges and opportunities are for building a global consensus on energy and climate policy, we interviewed Dr. Arunabha Ghosh, founder and CEO of the Council on Energy, Environment, and Water, one of the leading think tanks in India. Dr. Ghosh is an internationally recognized climate and energy policy expert, author, columnist, and institution builder. Full transcript of the episode is available in English and Hindi language Presented by 101Reporters Follow TIEH podcast on Twitter, Linkedin & YouTube Arunbha Ghosh is on Twitter & Linkedin Our hosts, Shreya Jai on Twitter, Linkedin & Dr. Sandeep Pai on Twitter, Linkedin Podcast Producer, Tejas Dayananda Sagar on Twitter & Linkedin

India has taken over the presidency of G20 at a time when the conventional geopolitics around key sectors is witnessing a shift - be it fossil fuels, climate, financing and several others. While it has provided the country an opportunity to lay a ground for a stronger voice of the Global South in energy transition and climate action, the ongoing turmoil between various nations is set to impact the outcome of the deliberations. To understand what are the key themes of energy and climate in G20, what are the sticking points and how it will shape the global dialogue on energy transition, we talked with Sudarshan Varadhan, Asia Energy Correspondent at Thomson Reuters. Sudarshan has been reporting on the dynamic energy sector for close to a decade, earlier placed in New Delhi and now from Singapore. He has done incisive reporting on the evolving energy landscape in Asia, highlighting the challenges of energy access, climate impact and mapping global trends in fossil fuel and clean energy sectors. Full transcript of the episode is available in English and Hindi language Presented by 101Reporters Follow TIEH podcast on Twitter, Linkedin & YouTube Sudarshan Varadhan is on Twitter & Linkedin Our hosts, Shreya Jai on Twitter, Linkedin & Dr. Sandeep Pai on Twitter, Linkedin Podcast Producer, Tejas Dayananda Sagar on Twitter & Linkedin

In this episode, Vivek Subramanian - Co-founder and Executive Director of Fourth Partner Energy discusses the market dynamics and trends in the decentralised green energy industry. He shares his entrepreneurial journey and the growth of his company. He emphasized on long-term contracts in the decentralised space especially with commercial and industrial consumers. He said the increasing desire of end consumers to control their energy mix and the price of power will drive the sector further. Full transcript of the episode is available in English and Hindi language. Presented by 101Reporters Follow TIEH podcast on Twitter, Linkedin & YouTube Vivek Subramanian is on Twitter & Linkedin Our hosts, Shreya Jai on Twitter, Linkedin & Dr. Sandeep Pai on Twitter, Linkedin Podcast Producer, Tejas Dayananda Sagar on Twitter & Linkedin

In India, the coal based electricity dominates the power sector. But the country has set ambitious renewable power targets. This will bring about many techno-economic and socio-political changes. For example, Indian state owned enterprises in the power sector may have to redefine themselves, and there will be a need for new financial mechanisms and policy design for providing renewable energy a boost. To understand the state of play in the power sector, we interviewed Abhinav Jindal, senior researcher and energy economist, who has over two decades of experience working in the power sector. Abhinav is one of the most balanced voices on the subject of energy security and electricity transition. Full transcript of the episode is available in English and Hindi language. Presented by 101Reporters Follow TIEH podcast on Twitter, Linkedin & YouTube Abhinav Jindal is on Linkedin Our hosts, Shreya Jai on Twitter, Linkedin & Dr. Sandeep Pai on Twitter, Linkedin Podcast Producer, Tejas Dayananda Sagar on Twitter & Linkedin

India's green energy landscape has witnessed remarkable growth and transformation in recent years, positioning the country as a global leader in the clean energy transition. With a growing population, rapid urbanization, and rising energy demands, India recognized the need to diversify its energy sources and reduce its heavy reliance on fossil fuels. In order to understand the changing landscape of the green energy sector and the country’s ambitious energy transition goals, we interviewed Mr. Srivatsan Iyer, Global CEO of Hero Future Energies. He has held executive roles in ExxonMobil, Braskem and McKinsey & Company, and have successfully expanded their business to other countries. Full transcript of the episode is available here Suggested Reading: Decarbonising India - Charting a pathway for sustainable growth Presented by 101Reporters Follow TIEH podcast on Twitter, Linkedin & YouTube Srivatsan Iyer is on Linkedin Our hosts, Shreya Jai on Twitter, Linkedin & Dr. Sandeep Pai on Twitter, Linkedin Podcast Producer, Tejas Dayananda Sagar on Twitter & Linkedin

In recent years, heatwaves in India have become more frequent, intense, and longer-lasting. This increase can be attributed to the larger problem of global warming and climate change. Rising greenhouse gas emissions have led to a rise in average global temperatures, which directly contribute to the occurrence and severity of heatwaves. In order to understand the importance of Heat Action Plans and implications of extreme weather, we spoke to Aditya Valiathan Pillai, a fellow with the Initiative for Climate, Energy and Environment (ICEE) at the Centre for Policy Research (CPR). His current work focuses on strengthening policies to combat extreme heat. Full transcript of the episode is available here Suggested Reading: How Is India Adapting to Heatwaves?: An Assessment of Heat Action Plans With Insights for Transformative Climate Action Presented by 101Reporters Follow TIEH podcast on Twitter, Linkedin & YouTube Aditya Valiathan Pillai is on Twitter & Linkedin Our hosts, Shreya Jai on Twitter, Linkedin & Dr. Sandeep Pai on Twitter, Linkedin Podcast Producer, Tejas Dayananda Sagar on Twitter & Linkedin

For years, multiple Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) have relied on integrated assessment models or IAM modelling pathways to achieve global net zero targets. The IPCC reports and IAM pathways have become key drivers of government policy on keeping a lid on global warming in many countries. However, scholars from Global South have argued that IAMs have failed to incorporate the principles of equity and rights of developing countries while charting decarbonisation pathways. For instance, questions have been raised about how it is fair to ask both the U.S. and India to achieve a net zero by 2050, given U.S. massive historical emissions. To discuss the issue of lack of equity in net zero pathways, and ways for designing equitable models for climate action, we interviewed Dr. Tejal Kanitkar, Associate Professor at National Institute of Advanced Studies, and Dr. Rahul Tongia, Senior Fellow at the Centre for Social and Economic Progress. Both Tejal and Rahul are India’s leading scholars and thinkers on climate and energy policy and have decades of experience working in this area. Full transcript of the episode is available here Suggested Readings: https://carboncopy.info/ipccs-climate-reports-reveal-an-unequal-science/ Presented by 101Reporters Follow TIEH podcast on Twitter, Linkedin & YouTube Tejal Kanitkar is on Twitter & Linkedin Rahul Tongia is on Twitter & Linkedin Our hosts, Shreya Jai on Twitter, Linkedin & Dr. Sandeep Pai on Twitter, Linkedin Podcast Producer, Tejas Dayananda Sagar on Twitter & Linkedin

Climate financing in India is crucial for achieving sustainable development and mitigating the impacts of climate change. The government’s efforts to mobilize climate finance, along with support from international institutions are essential for achieving these goals. In order to understand the complexities and challenges of financing climate change initiatives in India, including the role of government, private sector, and international institutions, we interviewed Varad Pande, Climate Finance and Investment Expert. Varad has held diverse roles across government, strategy, multilateral, investment organisations working on issues of economic development, social impact, and base-of-pyramid (BOP) business models. Full transcript of the episode is available here Follow TIEH podcast on Twitter, Linkedin & YouTube Varad Pande is on Twitter & Linkedin Our host, Shreya Jai on Twitter, Linkedin & Dr. Sandeep Pai on Twitter, Linkedin Podcast Producer, Tejas Dayananda Sagar on Twitter & Linkedin

Climate philanthropy globally and in India are starting to play a catalytic role for enabling climate action. They are starting to bet on innovative ideas and projects that enable decarbonisation of key sectors, foster solutions that benefit communities and economies, and bridge the gap between philanthropy and commercial investment. To understand more about how climate philanthropy works, the different funding models and the main challenges of funding climate projects, we interviewed Vikas Mehta, Executive Director of SED Fund, a venture philanthropy providing funding to organizations in India across their life cycle and continuing to support them in their growth and scale-up journey. Vikas has decades of experience in philanthropy, strategic planning, fundraising, and portfolio management. Full transcript of the episode is available here Follow TIEH podcast on Twitter, Linkedin & YouTube Vikas Mehta is on Twitter & Linkedin Our host, Shreya Jai on Twitter, Linkedin & Dr. Sandeep Pai on Twitter, Linkedin Podcast Producer, Tejas Dayananda Sagar on Twitter & Linkedin