The India Energy Hour Presented by 101Reporters

With Donald Trump scheduled to take over as the 47th President of the United States of America, there is widespread anxiety on the impact on global climate action. A climate change denier, Trump is a vocal supporter of fossil fuels and in his last tenure made US exit from the Paris Agreement on climate action. It is feared climate financing will take a serious hit. We talked with Anisha Dutta, a New York based investigative journalist focusing on politico-economy to understand the why and how of America electing Trump, the impact it will have on energy transition policies of the US, and the domino effect on climate action and green funding across the globe.  Dutta has been a journalist for over a decade, earlier in New Delhi and now in New York. She has worked with some of the leading newspapers in India - The Hindustan Times as an political and  infra reporter and for The Indian Express as an investigative journalist. Recently she has also reported from war and conflict zones in Northern Iraq. Her recent works have been published in The Guardian, Al Jazeera, Columbia Journalism Review, The Hindu Frontline, among others.   Full transcript of the episode is available in English  Presented by 101Reporters Follow TIEH podcast on Twitter, Linkedin & YouTube Anisha Dutta is on Twitter and LinkedIn Our hosts, Shreya Jai on Twitter, Linkedin & Dr. Sandeep Pai on Twitter, Linkedin

Climate change is already impacting many rural areas of India. Farmers in rural areas of India are facing rise in temperatures and changes in rainfall that negatively impacts production as well as monetary returns. There are many ways to adapt to the impacts of climate change.  One way to assist farmers is the District Agro-met Units (DAMUs), a project of Indian Meteorological department. DAMUs provide free-of-cost weather advisory services, and crucial information related to sowing, use of fertilisers, harvesting and storing crops. Instead of expanding the DAMU, Government of India decided to shut them down. To understand the broader impacts of climate change on farmers, the role of DAMU’s and why government decided to shut them down, we interviewed Rishika Pardikar an Indian environmental journalist and PhD scholar Rakesh Nannewar. Both Rishika and Rakesh have been extensively written about the role and importance of DAMU units.   Full transcript of the episode is available in English  Presented by 101Reporters Follow TIEH podcast on Twitter, Linkedin & YouTubeRishika Pardikar is on Twitter and Rakesh Nannewar is on LinkedIn Our hosts, Shreya Jai on Twitter, Linkedin & Dr. Sandeep Pai on Twitter, Linkedin

Every year, between May to September, the same images make the rounds. The national capital first sweats and then drowns with even a few millimetres of rain. The city that never sleeps braces water logging every year without fail. The silicon valley of India while facing traffic snarls the whole year dreads the monsoon months which make it worse.  Why is it that India's megacities crumble under the slightest variation in weather? Why are our national, financial capitals and metro cities not built to adapt to extreme weather conditions? Is it myopic city planning or unprecedented events?  As climate change related impacts intensify, cities have to prepare a long term plan to adapt to changing climatic conditions.  To discuss the same, we talked with Jaya Dhindaw, Executive Program Director, Sustainable Cities and Director, WRI India Ross Center. Jaya is an urban development professional and researcher with over two decades of global experience in sustainable development, urban resilience and natural resource management.  Jaya has in the past worked for the Centre for Infrastructure, Sustainable Transport and Urban Planning (CISTUP) at the Indian Institute of Science. She has also worked with the City of Charlotte for over 8 years, first with the transit system and then with the planning department.  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 Jaya Dhindaw is on Linkedin

This summer was all about breaking records - from temperature to electricity demand. India clocked the highest ever electricity demand of 260 Gw during the summer months, thanks to sweltering heat in all parts of the country.  But is it just the heat? Has the electricity usage behavior changed in the country? Are ACs shaping our power demand? Are the demand drivers shifting from commercial to domestic segment?  Is the electricity supply landscape prepared for extreme weather events impacting both the infrastructure and the supply planning?  To take a micro look at India's electricity demand supply system, we talked with Rajiv Goyal. Goyal has served in various positions across power distribution companies. He is credited with the successful setting up of the Noida Power Company Ltd. He is considered an expert in power distribution planning, smart metering, and power sector regulations among other things. He is currently CEO and whole time director at EKI Power Trading.  Full transcript of the episode is available in English  Presented by 101Reporters Follow TIEH podcast on Twitter, Linkedin & YouTube Rajiv Goyal is on Linkedin Our hosts, Shreya Jai on Twitter, Linkedin & Dr. Sandeep Pai on Twitter, Linkedin

Energy security remains a top priority for India as it seeks to balance growth with sustainability. A critical question emerges: Can India ensure energy security while also phasing down inefficient and uneconomical coal power plants? This issue involves not only understanding the current landscape of power production but also strategizing the retirement of outdated plants.In this insightful episode, we engage with Dr. Joshua Busby and Deepshikha Arora from the University of Texas at Austin, who explore these complex dynamics in their upcoming paper. They delve into the political economy challenges of retiring coal plants in India, discussing both the local policy frameworks and the international support mechanisms that can aid India's decision-making process.  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

Can political leaders be taken to court over climate change impacts? Can the Indian Constitution recognize climate change under the right to live? A recent Supreme Court hearing explored these questions, sparking a national debate. The case ruled against the livelihood rights of an endangered bird, but what could laws against extreme weather and climate change mean for us? Join us as we discuss this with Shibani Ghosh, Advocate on Record Supreme Court of India and a visiting fellow at the Sustainable Futures Collaborative, a New Delhi-based research organisation, as she shares her outlook on citizen-driven climate actions and the vital role of the National Green Tribunal. Could this be the beginning of a strong climate law for India?  Learn how this big decision could change India's legal system, support climate action, and lead to future climate laws. 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

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