I. Renewable Energy and Power Sector (Energy Transition)
A. Developing a One Stop Dashboard on Energy, Climate, and Key Economic Indicators – India Climate and Energy Dashboard (ICED)
This dashboard, India Climate and Energy Dashboard (ICED), launched on July 20, 2023, has been created in partnership with NITI Aayog and is co-hosted by NITI Aayog. ICED is a user-friendly public platform which integrates comprehensive, granular, historical, and near real-time climate and energy data to provide single window access to its users.
It is an open-source knowledge platform with a dynamic and interactive interface that promotes ease of use and accessibility for researchers, policy makers, investors and other stakeholders. The platform endorses data transparency for all three sectors – Energy, Climate and key Economy indicators. Each of these sections are covered comprehensively with a cohesive approach to assist the user in gathering relevant information and further download all datasets to support their respective areas of work.
All the ICED users can get access to near-real time information via suave visualizations and interactive analytics using the dashboard’s in-built queries in the analytics section. The featured queries explore the interdependency amongst multiple datasets across different sectoral verticals of energy, climate and economy and further reveals the data parameters most used for energy and climate related planning exercises. Covering cross-sectoral issues and connecting the various aspects of the power sector in an integrated manner aids the efficient and easy use of the otherwise vast and disaggregated data available across multiple sources.
B. Facilitating and Providing Technical Support for RE Scale Up in Uttar Pradesh
Vasudha Foundation has signed an MoU with the Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Development Agency (UPNEDA) with the intent to provide technical and knowledge support to UPNEDA to scale up renewable energy installations in the State. As part of this programme, Vasudha Foundation made critical inputs to the recently announced 2022 Solar Policy of the State. Further, Vasudha Foundation has also embarked on mapping the potential for installation of solar rooftops across key cities of Uttar Pradesh, in line with the 2022 Solar Policy that aims at 6000 MW of solar rooftop installations by 2026/27. At the beginning of the initiative, the solar potential mapping for the city of Ghaziabad was completed in August, 2023. A user-friendly portal, Uttar Pradesh Solar Cities Portal, is available in public domain to help users make informed decisions.
C. Power Outlook Series
The Power Outlook Series, is a periodical series that provides a comprehensive picture of the current status of India’s Power Sector and its value chain, with a focus on significant and emerging new developments, policies and programmes governing the power sector. So far, a series of 10 volumes have been released. Each of the volumes covers various thematic areas within the power and energy space.
Volume 1: Current State of Play provides a brief narrative of the Indian power sector and its policy implications across the power sector value chain
Volume 2: The Road to Clean Electricity provides an overview of renewable energy in India and assesses its progress across the value chain.
Volume 3: Unpacking the Impact of Electricity Demand, deep dives into assessing the impacts of electricity demand.
Volume 4: Decarbonizing the Power Sector discusses the role of states and end-users in its race to decarbonize the power sector.
Volume 5: India’s 2030 targets: Stepping Stones to Net Zero by 2070 captures the high-level insights of the COP 26 and a sentiment analysis
Volume 6: Clean Energy Policy Update, a compendium of the latest clean energy initiatives
Volume 7: Building Power Sector Resilience under Extreme Weather Conditions conducts a thorough assessment of the rise in extreme weather events and its possible impacts on the power sector value chain
Volume 8: Capturing a Decade of India’s Clean Energy Journey focuses on significant and emerging developments in India’s power and energy sector
Volume 9: People-Centric Approach: Key to Rapid and Effective Clean Energy Transition explores climate transitions, emphasising people’s roles in coal, automotive, and battery sectors sustainably.
Volume 10: Meeting Paris Agreement Goals Climate Action and Accountability meticulously examines past climate interventions amidst the worsening crisis, emphasising insights crucial for navigating the future.
D. Emerging Trends and Opportunities for India’s Energy Transition: A Data Driven Analysis – Vasudha Power Info Hub
Vasudha Power Info Hub is an all-encompassing resource platform that provides comprehensive information on Power Generation and Demand in India.
The users can access data and analytics on conventional and renewable sources of power generation which include Coal, Hydro, Wind, Solar, Gas & Diesel, Biomass & Co-gen, Nuclear, Small-Hydro, Decentralized Mini-grids and Storage.
The in-depth and up to date information includes data on operational, non-operational and proposed power plants across India in the form of Power Plant Database with complete list power plants in India providing detailed unit-wise information and source specific information can be accessed in Power Sources. The Analytics section gives an insight into the various parameters related to power generation i.e., Performance, Economic, Water, Geographic, Air Quality and Alternate Energy Pathway through graphical representation and interactive maps. To get an overview of the various types of sources of power generation and understand the research methodology the users can access the section.
Through this platform we hope to enable a diverse set of users to access and analyse relevant information, helping them in their respective areas of work.
E. India’s Coal generation and water use – a data driven analysis and making a business case for energy transition in India
Land Use Change Analysis – India | 2020
The purpose of the analysis is to highlight the extent of land use due to coal mining operations, and to drive home the point that with increasing coal mining operations, meeting one of India’s goal of creating additional carbon sinks of 2.5 billion to 3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent through creating additional forest cover could be a daunting task.
Further, the objective of the analysis is also to show case that with energy transition, which is a shift from fossil fuel energy pathway to a renewable energy dominant pathway being imminent, many of the coal mining operations could end up becoming stranded assets. This analysis also aims at Energy and Clean Air Sector Policy Makers at the National and State Levels, Energy sector investors and bankers, Power Producers, Think Tanks and Environment NGOs, State Climate Change Departments, State Energy Department, Electricity Distribution Utilities, Environmentalists, city planners amongst others.
F. India’s coal generation and Air Quality – A data driven analysis of the impacts of Coal Fired Power Plants on India’s Air Quality Index
Air Quality Mapping – Analysis | India 2020
The overall objective of the mapping is to draw a clear linkage between coal-fired power plants and coal mining operations to air quality levels in the region. Further, the objective of this mapping exercise is to also add to the discourse on energy transition in India, particularly from coal to renewable energy, with the end objective being to add more dimensions to the issue of energy transition in India.
G. Energy Transition Platform – South Asia, China and Myanmar
Energy Transition Platform is an initiative that brings together Sustainable Energy Practitioners and CSOs from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, China and Myanmar to form a partnership to work towards the vision of creating a Fossil Fuel Free South Asia, China and Myanmar by 2050.
H. Development of the SiteRight tool in partnership with The Nature Conservancy, India.
A tool for identifying land parcels in India for utility scale solar and wind projects factoring in generation potentials and social and environmental values
Energy Access and Energy Transition
i. Universal Service Obligation for Rural Energy Services
This project aimed at building capacities of rural communities to approach state regulatory commissions and respective electricity distribution utilities for rural electricity connection and access. (2015-2017)
ii. A Pan-India survey on Ability and Willingness to Pay for Electricity Services in Rural India:
This Pan India survey focused on seeking consumer perception on the need for electricity services particularly in rural India and also analysed the ability and willingness to pay for electricity and energy services by rural poor. (2013)