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[Display omitted] • Maize production due to its many climate friendly properties have been center of research and development in terms of yield, water per hectare requirement, and so forth. • Out of agricultural stubble waste, corncob showed highest potential for beneficiation amongst traditional cash crops. Corncob beneficiation products and their applications span from bio fuels to mattress, with over 3500 products. • With processes such as gasification, pyrolysis, combustion and so forth, we can use this agricultural waste product for energy generation. • With applications such as bio-oil, ethanol blending, poultry feed, bio char, methanol, and so on maize was found to be the answer to many global problems. Increased global energy consumption and energy generation constraints using non-renewable energy sources have stressed countries and major industries to practice and develop cleaner, sustainable, readily available and predictable source of energy. On the other hand, agricultural waste or stubble burning presents a major problem for developing countries like India as it alone produces 516 million tons of agricultural waste in the year 2017-2018, out of which 116 million tons waste was burnt producing 176.1 Mt Carbon dioxide, 10 Mt of Carbon monoxide, and other harmful greenhouse gases. Though 13% of India's total energy is produced by the biomass, a lot of scope and potential in waste biomass is still left unexplored. Research and development in biomass (agricultural waste) conversion to energy is the potential solution to both problems. Out of all agricultural waste biomass, corncob was the center of research for this review paper. This review paper covers global and Indian scenario in the generation of corn cob, its beneficiation and uses in multiple industries, characteristics of corn cob, technologies available and used for the biomass conversion, limitations faced by the industry in corn cob's beneficiation, future potential developments, pledged goals and projected targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper thoroughly analyses energy, economic and environmental (3E) performance of using different battery (BAT) energy storage system like lead acid battery (LAB), lithium-ion battery (LIB), vanadium redox flow (VRF) battery and mechanical energy storage (MES) like flywheel and pumped hydro storage (PHS) using three different dispatch strategies (DS) such as cycle charging (CC), load following (LF) and generator order (GO), respectively. Andaman and Nicobar(A&N) Island of India have no main grid. Hybrid Optimization Model for Electric Renewable (HOMER) Pro software is used to study feasibility of power generation using various sources. Study incorporating tidal plant with wind turbine and Bio-DG in micro grid is considered first time for an Indian scenario as per authors' knowledge with application of various DS and energy storage technologies. The superiority of LIB over LAB and MES is proved in this study. Wind/Bio-DG /tidal/LIB have relatively least net present cost(NPC), cost of energy (COE) of $1.30M and $0.263, respectively among five energy storage devices using CC dispatch strategy compared to other two strategies. It is investigated that LIB uses only 250 units of batteries, which is 46% less than total utilized LAB units for catering same load. In terms of expected lifespan, energy losses, energy production and state of charge (SOC), performance of LIB are superior to LAB. SWOT and sensitivity analysis have been performed considering fuel price and wind speed. Different techno economic indicators like cost summary, cash flow, fuel summary, economics, electrical parameters, renewable fraction (RF), return of investment (ROI), lowest simple payback period, internal rate of return (IRR), pollutant emission are considered and compared with each other for LAB and LIB combinations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Literature has highlighted the existence of a gap in clean fuel usage between the social groups in most emerging nations across the world, which is detrimental to global efforts to achieve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7 (access to clean energy) and SDG 10 (reducing inequalities) and just energy transition with recognition justice. This paper, assesses the clean fuel gap across social groups in India using three rounds of representative data (2004, 2014, and 2018) by applying the logit model, exogenous switching treatment effect regression (ESTER), and the Blinder–Oaxaca Decomposition Model. Such an analysis is instrumental in identifying the clean energy usage gap and its causes, thereby providing insight to policymakers to design policies to achieve just energy transition and carbon neutrality by 2060. The results show a substantive clean fuel gap between social groups in India, which is a cause of concern for just energy transition. Clean energy utilization gaps among social groups are alarming across geographical locations and consumption quartiles, highlighting the importance of recognition justice for just energy transition. The results show that in rural areas, only 19.6 % of the General Caste households and 14.5 % of the disadvantaged social groups (Scheduled Tribes, Scheduled Castes, and Other Backward Class) in quartile one use clean energy, while in urban areas, the shares are 60.4 % and 46.3 %, respectively. To achieve a just distribution of the benefits of energy transition, energy policies should focus on disadvantaged social groups and simultaneously target General Caste households from a lower economic status and those residing in rural areas, indicating the need for targeting the neglected regions. [Display omitted] • Clean energy use has steadily increased among all social groups in India, indicating some improvement in energy justice. • Clean energy access gap among social groups has declined, but this gap still persists. • Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes are the most disadvantaged social groups in terms of clean energy. • All social groups from low-income families have limited access to clean energy. • All social groups from households with low education have limited access to clean energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the strategies for achieving sustainable development goals is to close the gap between environmental vulnerability and economic progress (SDGs). The significance of renewable energy in harmonizing environmental and economic conditions is becoming a touchy subject in current debates. Against this backdrop, the major objective of this paper is to assess whether economic growth and environmental sustainability can promote renewable energy consumption in the Indian economy by using ARDL and Novel Dynamic ARDL estimation techniques. The results obtained from both the methodology shows that rising efficiency in the economic growth coupled with environmental sustainability leads to an increase in renewable energy consumption. We also find, from the frequency domain causality test, that there is a unidirectional causality between renewable energy consumption and economic growth & renewable energy consumption and environmental sustainability in both the short- and long run. The former causation validating the conservation hypothesis for the Indian economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Decoupling of GDP from all energy sources under multiple principles are examined. • World economy achieved weak energy decoupling in most years during 2000–2011. • World economy coupled with coal use and tended to couple with cleaner energy use. • None of studied economies achieved long-term GDP-embodied energy decoupling. • Decoupling delusions occurred when only considering direct and total energy use. Decoupling indicators are widely used to understand links between economic growth and energy use. However, traditional decoupling analyses mostly focus on domestic energy consumption (i.e., the production-based principle) and neglect off-site energy use across global supply chains to satisfy an economy's final consumption (i.e., the consumption-based principle). Moreover, analyses for total primary energy conceal an economy's preference for different energy sources. Therefore, this paper evaluates decoupling states of GDP from all types of primary energy use under consumption-based principle, for world economy and eight typical economies during 2000–2011. Regarding total primary energy, world economy witnessed weak decoupling in most years, and most economies studied (e.g., USA, Japan and China) achieved decoupling initially but performed negative decoupling finally. For EU, USA, Japan, Russia and India, production-based decoupling performances were generally better than consumption-based ones. Decoupling phenomena detected under production-based principle even became coupling or negative decoupling under consumption-based principle in some cases. As for each energy source, world economy decoupled from oil use, but still coupled with coal use, and gradually showed a trend to couple with natural gas and renewables use. Different energy sources showed distinct decoupling degrees from GDP, affected by individual embodied energy requirement structure. This paper uncovers potential energy decoupling delusions to deepen the understanding of relationships between energy use and economic growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of non-imaging collectors has a wide scope in process heat applications based on its performance and economics. An experimental investigation of trapezoidal/concave cavity surface receiver (TSR) for non-imaging solar concentrating collector is carried out in this paper. The implementation of surface/coil receiver instead of tubular receiver for non-imaging collector is presented in this paper. A TSR with helical coil is developed for non – imaging concentrating collector, Elliptical Hyperbolic Collector (EHC). Experiments are carried to estimate the thermal performance of the system under various operating conditions such as two operating modes: series and parallel modes of operation of the collector, two circulation modes: passive and active modes. The stagnation temperature of the trapezoidal/concave cavity surface receiver is measured to be 118 °C on a clear sunny day in October and 102 °C on a cloudy day in February. The daily performance tests are performed under different operating conditions. Based on the experimental study, for the flow rate of 0.03 kg/min and 0.5 kg/min, the fluid outlet temperature is estimated to be 87 °C at 768 W/m 2 and 49 °C at 908 W/m 2 respectively. The corresponding instantaneous efficiency was calculated to be 9% and 40% respectively. The numerical model is developed to predict the temperature of the fluid along the receiver. The pressure drop across a receiver is estimated to be 9.3 kPa for a flow rate of 0.5 kg/min. Exergy analysis of the system is carried out and it ranges between 10 and 20%. The costs involved in fabricating the EHC system are compared to that of a non-imaging concentrating collector (CPC) of same aperture area. An economic analysis of the system is also carried out to study the feasibility of the system based on the life cycle savings method by estimating the annual solar savings from the EHC system. The present system can be a suitable option for low and medium temperature process heat applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of compressed biogas (CBG) in day-to-day livelihood has garnered significant attention in modern day era. It is considered as a potential solution to curb the increasing energy demand and other environmental concerns. The process involves anaerobic digestion (AD) (hydrolysis, acidogenesis, acetogenesis and methanogenesis) of organic substrate under an optimum operating condition (pH, temperature, etc.) via anaerobic microorganisms. This paper aims to describe some major facts about different technological options related to pre-treatment, AD, cleaning and up-gradation system. It also highlights the practical challenges related to high investment cost, inadequate infrastructure, clearance and approval issues, poor feedstock supply chain management etc. in adaption of CBG plants in India. The review examines the significance of both dry and wet continuous digester systems, which includes its advantages and challenges, considering factors, such as feedstock characteristics, process stability, and operational efficiency. It was also found that the type of feedstock and its availability in existing market plays a vital role in smooth functioning of CBG plants. Therefore, the study presents a comprehensive review discussing potential feedstock readily available for CBG plants in Indian market. It was concluded that the usage of agricultural waste (such as Napier grass) has higher CBG potential compared to other feedstock. At the same time, the study presents a broader aspect to policy makers and governing authorities to reframe the existing structure for financial assistantship, regulatory laws, subsidiary schemes etc. for CBG plant owners. It also gives an opportunity to technocrats, industrialist and investors to come-up with an indigenous technology with in-house manufacturing units to promote CBG production in India. [Display omitted] • India has 46 compressed biogas plants with an overall capacity of 272 tonnes/day. • Elaborated the significance of both dry and wet continuous digester systems. • Setting-up a compressed biogas plants requires high investment and operational cost. • Potential market for bio-fuels and bio-fertilizer needs to be explored in India. • Existing financial assistantship and subsidiary schemes need transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India as a developing economic power, has to rely much on its energy sector for growth and development. The growth is largely interlinked with the availability of energy and its judicious utilization. Also involved is the question whether the available energy is environmentally acceptable and technically viable. With the growth of country's economy, per capita power consumption has also increased resulting greater demands for power. India's power sector is mainly dependent on conventional or fossil fuels i.e., coal (60.1%) and gas (8.7%) (2015). India has around 10% of the world's coal reserves that will last for about another 30–40 years at the present consumption rate. The use of conventional fossil fuels has a negative impact on the environment due to the emission of harmful greenhouse gases. On the other hand, according to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India, the country has untapped source of renewable energies such as, wind, solar power, nuclear energy and biomass. Globally, depletion of conventional fuel resources, is increasingly turning the focus on non-conventional sources of energy. The present paper is a review of biomass energy, its sources and its energy efficiency. Even though sources of biomass fuels are widely available all across India, these are still largely underutilized. According to the available statistics, in India the share of renewable energy has increased from 7.8% to 12.3% during 2012-13 and to 12.95% as on 31st March 2014, this paper also highlights the challenges and advantages of biomass energy over conventional fuels as well as utilization and applicability of biomass in sintering process as a replacement for coke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sustainability transition of electricity sectors is a matter of competition between multiple emerging renewable systems and dominant, established conventional systems. These transitions are multi-dimensional and are featured with non-linear and causal interactions between social, technical, economic and political components. Understanding the dynamic of transitions, i.e. how transitions unfold, can inform effective policy interventions. This paper aims to present a narrative-modelling approach to improve the understanding and description of transition dynamics in electricity sectors. The central ideas of the paper are: (1) the use of qualitative transition narratives helps to capture the co-evolving nature of society and technology which are simplified in modelling approaches; (2) narratives, with concepts from the sustainability transitions field, also guide the development of a model structure; and (3) computational models, in return, reproduce the complexity of transition dynamics, i.e. feedback loops, non-linearity, and time delays—the features which are impracticable to analyse with transition narratives alone. We use the historical transition of India's electricity sector to demonstrate the implementation of our proposed approach. First, an overview of the transition narratives is presented and the model structure, developed based on the narratives, is explained. Then, it is argued how the coupling of the narratives and model improves our understating of the positive impacts as well as the side-effects of stable feed-in tariffs and accelerated depreciation on the penetration levels of wind and solar electricity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fossil fuels such as coal, petroleum, and natural gas have been used as the major sources of energy in the recent past. However, the negative environmental impacts associated with the emission of the greenhouse gases from these conventional energy sources forced to realize the importance of renewable energy resources. At the same time, the average annual exponential rate of population growth in India needs increasing amounts of fresh-water for the basic necessities. This might result in water scarcity as the overall population in India is expected to increase to 1.60 billion by 2050. It has been forecasted that, by the year 2040, India will rank 40th in the world in terms of water scarcity. To meet the rising fresh-water demand, desalination is an intelligent and sustainable option for India, which has a very long coastline measuring 7517 km. In this paper, an attempt has been made to provide a comprehensive review of water scarcity in India and suggest a possible solution, which is implementing desalination technologies coupled with renewable resources. The paper reviews the ground water scenario in India and the global desalination market. We summarize the energy consumption in various desalination processes and provide a brief outlook of the desalination techniques in India. Apart from this, desalination using non-conventional sources such as solar, wind, and geothermal energy is discussed. In addition, factors affecting the environment due to desalination and the potential counter measures are presented. This review aims to provide an awareness of the projected water crisis in India, in the coming decades, and is also aimed to help the policy makers for selecting an appropriate desalination technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The annual consumption of petroleum products in India was about 221 million metric tons in 2015. Of this, 84% was imported. The Indian industrial sector accounts for about 16%-20% of the total fuel consumption for thermal energy for different heating applications in the temperature range of 50°C--250 °C. Solar collectors can meet these temperature requirements and offer the possibility to mitigate the consumption of oil. This study highlights the fact that conversion efficiency from solar energy is much higher for process heating than for electricity generation and that process heating applications constitute a significant share of industrial energy consumption. In this paper, a methodology has been developed to estimate the potential for integration of solar collectors for process heating. The methodology employs process operating temperatures to select the type of solar collectors. The size of the solar field is estimated taking into account the thermal heat loads, working fluid and temperatures of these processes, the efficiency of the chosen solar collectors, location-based solar irradiance and capacity utilization of the solar collectors. The proposed methodology has been validated with a software tool called System Advisor Model (SAM). The techno-economic analysis will indicate the viability of solar systems for integration in industries. Therefore, the consociated parameters on economic (capital cost, fuel oil savings, monetary benefits), financial (Payback periods, Rates of Returns) and environmental (Carbon savings) are estimated. Further, the methodology has been applied to select Indian industries to verify its potential quantitatively. The industries selected include Textile, Pulp & Paper, Dairy, Leather and Automobile. Process-wise energy demands are considered while estimating the potential as the fuel requirement offset by solar energy in terms of absolute fuel oil savings, monetary benefits and carbon savings. The other economic and financial parameters mentioned above were estimated to verify the capability and present the market position of solar systems. Further, sensitivity analyses have been performed with respect to solar energy penetration and fuel oil prices to address the viability of integration of solar energy for process heating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Appliance labels are a widely used policy instrument to increase the adoption of energy-efficient technologies. Most countries use categorical labels to facilitate comparison of appliances based on energy consumption. Studies have found that consumers respond positively to the labels, but the differentiated response to the categories on labels is not well understood in the literature. This study presents the results of a discrete choice experiment corroborated by an analysis of secondary market data to demonstrate that consumers differentiate between label categories; with a greater value being placed on appliances with higher levels of energy efficiency performance. We examine two appliances - air conditioners and refrigerators and observe that there are some differences in consumer response - likely due to the different usage patterns of the two appliances. Consumer responses were observed in hypothetical choice situations constructed ensuring statistical and design efficiency. In a mixed logit model specification with correlated random parameters, the magnitude and the distribution of consumer preference for the highest category of energy efficiency are estimated. The results are validated by estimating the incremental price of higher category of energy efficiency using market data for comparison. The sources of consumer heterogeneity for the highest category of energy efficiency are identified after controlling for other consumer variables. The findings presented in this paper are useful for improving the effectiveness of existing energy efficiency programs and designing new programs to accelerate adoption of energy efficient technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India ranks third globally in overall greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, with power and transportation first and third, respectively, in terms of India's sectoral GHG contributions. Motivated by India's Nationally Determined Contribution goals and stated intent to drive renewables growth and vehicle electrification, this paper explores the connections between India's power and road transportation sectors by investigating the benefits of flexible electric vehicle (EV) charging on a set of hypothetical 2037 Indian power grid infrastructures. Using two production cost models, one simulating optimal unit commitment and hourly dispatch of available generation, the other simulating subhourly real-time dispatch operations, we examine the impact of flexible and inflexible EV charging regimes and vehicle-to-grid integration on generation profiles, peak load shaving, energy storage utilization, and overall emissions. Our techno-economic analysis shows that a number of future grid infrastructure scenarios, despite not specifically accounting for EV growth scenarios, may meet annual and hourly peak demand when combined with flexible EV charging; in contrast, inflexible EV charging, particularly during the early morning, will lead to substantial need for additional generation capacity. Coupled sectoral decarbonization remains tied to the grid generation mix, highlighting the need for continued policy focus on decarbonization of the rapidly growing power sector. • Flexible charging, grid decarbonization policies critical for EV adoption benefits. • Scenario analysis highlights pathways to efficiency gains + emissions reductions. • We quantify net CO 2 emissions from power + road transport with increasing EV load. • V2G reduces unserved reserves, prevents price spikes during extreme power outages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With 21,136 MW of wind energy installed in 2014, India is considered a success story in terms of net installed capacity. Few existing studies on Indian wind energy have highlighted the important role of institutions, and how they stemmed from the work of advocacy groups; studies also tend to focus on short time periods. This paper uses the notion of collective institutional entrepreneurship to analyze Indian wind energy across three time periods (1985–1995, 1995–2003, and 2003–2013). The analysis shows that Indian wind power development was driven by collective efforts of institutional entrepreneurs using two aggregated strategies, that is, supportive techno-economic and socio-political networks and an indigenous innovation infrastructure. The paper highlights setbacks, controversies, and tensions between various entrepreneurship groups and argues that actions must be taken for including actors who have been marginalized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapidly increasing energy demand and growing concern about economic and environmental consequences call for renewable/sustainable energy technologies׳ adoption in India. Renewable/sustainable energy technologies have faced a number of constraints that have affected their rate of adoption. In this paper an attempt has been made to identify and rank the major barriers in the adoption of ‘renewable and green’ energy technologies in the Indian context. Twenty-eight barriers have been identified from an extensive literature review. These identified barriers have been categorized into seven dimensions of barriers, i.e. Economical & Financial; Market; Awareness & Information; Technical; Ecological and Geographical; Cultural & Behavioral; and Political & Government Issues. Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) technique has been utilized for ranking of barriers to adopt renewable/sustainable technologies in the Indian context. All pair comparisons in AHP have been made based on experts’ opinions (selected from academia and industry). Sensitivity analysis has also been made to investigate the priority ranking stability of barriers to adopt renewable/sustainable technologies in the Indian context. This paper may help practitioners, regulators and academician focus their future efforts in adoption of ‘renewable/sustainable energy technologies’ in India. Further, this understanding may be helpful in framing the policies and strategies towards adoption of renewable/sustainable energy technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates household decision-making behaviour in the market for energy-efficient lighting and appliances in Delhi, India to study the energy efficiency gap using the inter-disciplinary framework of behavioural economics. A primary dataset of survey responses and choice experiments is analysed to test whether under-investment in energy-efficient technologies is explained by present-biased preferences. A ‘Multiple Price List’ set is employed to compute the standard discount factor, and the present bias and long-run component of a quasi-hyperbolic specification. Individuals who are more patient and less present-biased are found to be more likely to invest in certain energy-efficient appliances. As expected, time preferences are relevant for larger purchases such as refrigerators but lose some or all of their explanatory power for inexpensive purchases such as light bulbs. Our quantitative study contributes to the existing literature, which is limited to qualitatively identifying the (market failure) barriers for energy efficiency; inter alia , it tests for behavioural failures in individuals' decision-making towards the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Access to energy for cooking is one of the major challenges that rural India faces. Most of the rural households of North-Eastern India rely heavily upon fuelwood and traditional open-fire cookstoves for cooking activities. And everyday collection of fuelwood is time-consuming. Hence, women often gather fuelwood to make charcoal. While the use of charcoal has some advantages, it is not clear whether the investment of time in making charcoal is worthwhile. In this paper, we compare household time investments for fuelwood and charcoal production. The study is done using survey data on Napaam village situated in Sonitpur District of Assam, Northeast India. We developed a model to analyse fuelwood needed and time spent upon the introduction of improved cookstoves and/or charcoal production. This analysis reveals that improved cookstoves using fuelwood results in the least time expenditure on the production of cooking fuel. Whilst introducing charcoal marginally reduces the amount of fuelwood, but increases time spent on cooking, due to the time required to produce the charcoal. Hence, rural households who make their own charcoal spend more time on producing cooking fuel than those households relying on direct use of fuelwood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy planning in many developing Asian countries has neglected the structure of energy demand and how it is likely to evolve as development takes its path. The limited availability of energy consumption data makes it very difficult to assess the energy savings potential at end-use level. Energy planning requires the formulation of a proper modelling framework that supports the definition of energy policies. From the different approaches available, Input - Output (I-O) models are particularly useful, since they allow considering different impacts that can be consistent with different energy policy options. This paper proposes a novel I-O modelling framework by introducing a bottom-up approach into an I-O model which is combined with technical data for the holistic assessment of energy efficient technologies in the residential sector, which can assist energy decision-makers of India on the appraisal of the future impacts of the current national energy saving targets. A large size platform of real data has also been gathered considering different data sources, namely the household building stock characterization, the number of operating days according to the climatic regions of India, the lifetime and the investment cost of equipment. Finally, the main results are discussed and future research opportunities are identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this research is to examine the link between CO 2 emissions, hydroelectricity consumption, urbanisation and real GDP in China and India during the period of 1965–2013. The long-run cointegration is investigated by the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) bounds testing approach, which is augmented with structural breaks. We employ the ARDL cointegration test to establish long run relationship in the variables. Furthermore, we use the ARDL to show that real GDP and urbanisation have long-run positive impact on emission, while hydroelectricity consumption exerts long-run negative impact on emission in both countries. The results support the existence of environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis in China and India. Besides, the paper assesses the causal link between the variables by using Granger causality procedures and the results show that there is long-run bidirectional relationship between the variables in both countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to test whether income inequality contributes to environmental degradation in China and India, where both countries are giving a great concern about the implications of their unsustainable energy consumption to the environment not only to themselves but also to the global environmental sustainability. By applying the bounds test approach to cointegration we found in both countries a long-run but not a statistically significant relationship between income inequality and CO 2 emissions both in the long-run and in the short-run. The robustness of our cointegration results is also ascertained by using three different long-run tests. Furthermore, applying the variance decomposition analysis to examine the dynamic causal relationship between the Gini coefficient of income distribution and CO 2 emissions, we found that income inequality was the least important factor in determining CO 2 emissions and that there was no causality running in any direction between CO 2 emissions and income inequality in both countries. Still income and energy consumption are the major determinants of CO 2 emissions in both countries. Nevertheless, even though the evidence is not statistically significant, in the case of China it indicates that reducing income inequality can have a positive impact on environmental quality, while in India redistributing income to improve environmental degradation may not be effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Renewable energy-based off-grid or decentralised electricity supply has traditionally considered a single technology-based limited level of supply to meet the basic needs, without considering reliable energy provision to rural consumers. The purpose of this paper is to propose the best hybrid technology combination for electricity generation from a mix of renewable energy resources to satisfy the electrical needs in a reliable manner of an off-grid remote village, Palari in the state of Chhattisgarh, India. Four renewable resources, namely, small-scale hydropower, solar photovoltaic systems, wind turbines and bio-diesel generators are considered. The paper estimates the residential, institutional, commercial, agricultural and small-scale industrial demand in the pre-HOMER analysis. Using HOMER, the paper identifies the optimal off-grid option and compares this with conventional grid extension. The solution obtained shows that a hybrid combination of renewable energy generators at an off-grid location can be a cost-effective alternative to grid extension and it is sustainable, techno-economically viable and environmentally sound. The paper also presents a post-HOMER analysis and discusses issues that are likely to affect/influence the realisation of the optimal solution. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Well designed Renewable Energy (RE) policies and their effective regulation is the key to promote RE generation in the world. Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) mechanism is a market-based policy instrument which facilitates Renewable (Energy) Purchase Obligations (RPOs) in order to increase RE generation in a country. The recently conceived and implemented REC mechanism in India attempts to involve various stakeholders in an economically efficient manner and has been effective in its first year of operation. The paper commences with the background and the genesis of REC mechanism in India. It characterises the REC trading mechanism and analyses the performance of the REC market for the FY 2011–12. Comparing the financial viability for sale of RE by project developers in certain key states, the paper shows that REC mechanism is more profitable than entering into a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) for sale of RE at Preferential Tariff (Feed-in-Tariffs). Thus, the REC market which has attained a size of 2.3 billion INR in its first year of existence is forecasted to grow manifold in the future and the paper attempts to forecast the market size in near term. Further analysis of the REC market reveals that although there are inherent advantages of the REC mechanism over other methods of promoting growth of RE, the market is currently subject to various distortions and the paper suggests few steps for correcting these distortions by appropriate market re-design. The paper concludes that the REC market mechanism has gained momentum and can effectively promote RE generation in an economically efficient manner, with benefits to all stakeholders, provided it is strictly implemented and continuous corrections are given in the right direction by the market regulator. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

As the world's fastest growing major economy and home to nearly one-fifth of the worlds population, India a vibrant democracy is in the midst of a profound transformation and rapid urbanization. Urbanization improves the quality of life of people while promoting economic growth; however it also increases energy consumption and is capable of generating an energy crisis. Urbanization has a significant impact on Carbon Dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions as well. This paper empirically investigates the temporal, dynamic and causal relationships between urbanization, energy consumption and emissions. The study also aims to understand the urbanization process in India, in terms of the level and tempo of urbanization and the urban growth morphology, by utilizing the census data of 1901–2011. The rise in energy consumption and resulting emissions in the context of rapid urbanization is also reviewed. To address these problems the study recommends a series of measures and a set of strategies that include energy intensity and emission intensity reduction measures through continuous monitoring, information feedback systems, introduction of industrial energy quota management, incentives for energy efficient facilities, shutting down of inefficient facilities, and setting up of smart residential buildings. Reduction of distribution and transmission losses by investing in smart grids is also highly recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a quantitative assessment of Sustainable Energy Security (SES) of the energy demand sub-system for India by calculating a multidimensional SES index. The demand sub-system has been evaluated for four dimensions of SES, viz., Availability, Affordability, Efficiency and (Environmental) Acceptability using 23 selected metrics. A hierarchical structure has been used to construct indices using ‘scores’ (objective values of selected metrics), and ‘weights’ (subjective values, representing importance of each metric) which are then aggregated, to obtain a SES index. Various sectors of the energy demand sub-system are evaluated and dimensional and sectoral indices are calculated for the years 2002, 2007 and 2012. Assessment of the obtained energy indices is undertaken (separately for rural and urban residential sector) and results reveal that all (except one) sectoral indices have shown an increase during the period of assessment. The results show that from 2002 to 2012, the aggregate SES index has increased by approximately 10% which indicates a gradual improvement in the sustainability and security of the energy demand sub-system. However, the SES index is approximately 0.7 (against a desired target of 1.0), which implies that there is still a large scope for improvement in the performance of the India’s energy demand sub-system. A sensitivity analysis of various indices reveals that the SES index is relatively robust to variation in weights allotted to different dimensions and hence provides a reliable assessment of the energy demand sub-system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmentally conscious manufacturing (ECM) has become an important strategy and proactive approach for the iron and steel sector of India to produce environment friendly and to reduce manufacturing cost. There are several environmentally conscious manufacturing indicators to evaluate ECM programs. Among those indicators, energy consumption and greenhouse (GHG) emission may be considered critical environmentally conscious manufacturing indicators (CECMI) for Indian iron and steel sector. This paper focuses on forecasting energy consumption and GHG emission for a pig iron manufacturing organization of India because the managers are interested to know the current and future trends of these indicators for better environmental policy. For forecasting purpose, autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) is applied to reveal that ARIMA (1,0,0) × (0,1,1) is the best fitted model for energy consumption. Regarding GHG emission, ARIMA (0,1,4) × (0,1,1) is the best fitted model. In both cases, the forecasts resemble those of the seasonal random trend model, however they appear smoother because the seasonal pattern and the trend are efficiently averaged for energy consumption and as well as GHG emission. Selection of the correct ARIMA models for these indicators will help in accurate forecasting in order to achieve better environmental management practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The process of acquiring photovoltaic power involves designing, selecting and determining specifications depending on a variety of factors, such as geographical location, weather condition, solar irradiance, and load consumption. In this paper a detailed design of a standalone rooftop solar PV system to provide uninterrupted power supply for a hostel building is presented. It outlines the detailed procedure for specifying each component of the stand-alone rooftop solar PV system and its performance analysis using simulation software. Detailed cost analysis including installation and maintenance of a rooftop solar PV system during its life span has also been carried out. The cost of PV generation and environmental benefit are also highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China and India accounted for two-thirds of the world׳s rise in energy use between 2000 and 2012. This paper aimed to calculate the P (population)– A (affluence)– T (technology) effects of energy use in China and India – the world׳s two most populous and largest developing countries. To this end, a combination of the IPAT method and the logarithmic mean divisia index technique, and annual time-series data on population, energy consumption, and gross domestic product during 1970–2012 are used. In China, a 12.53-fold growth of energy use emissions from 1970 to 2012 is driven by a combination of rapid growth in individual income and slow growth in population, with offset by technological advancement since 1980. The accelerating rise in energy use since 2000 is a result of accelerating growth rates in individual income and a reversal of earlier declining in energy intensity (technological advancement). Unlike China, the long-term rise in energy use exceeded the long-term rise in individual income in India. In addition, a strong trend of decline in energy intensity has not yet occurred in India. Thus, a 7.39-folds growth of Indian energy use for 1970–2012 was a result of relatively rapid increase in population and relatively slow increase in income, without effective offset by technological advancement. It suggests that market-oriented economic and energy reforms need to send the correct price signal to promote energy-efficient technologies thus improving energy efficiency, which is the key to a sustainable energy future in China and India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circular economy principles can lead to a series of opportunities to tackle climate change, particularly in cities of developing countries where the generation of waste, consumption and demand for energy is growing rapidly. This paper aims to advance the understanding of the expansion of circularity for tackling climate change using biomass for energy at the urban scale. In addition, little is known about how Circular Economy (CE) flows can be quantitatively integrated, what potential trade-offs exist in promoting Circular Economy using biomass, and how governance models can integrate these flows and contribute to a Circular Economy transition in cities. Based on an empirical study of a city in India, where the private sector participation through an innovative Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model enabled the use of urban wastewater in thermal power plants, the study presents the viability of Circular Economy models at the city scale. The feasibility of a further expansion of this circularity by co-firing biomass in local thermal power plants was analyzed, as a potential solution for reducing pollution and carbon emissions in a hard-to-abate sector. The result indicated an average 20.5 MJ kg−1 calorific value for torrefied mixed biomass pellets from crop residues, which, if applied to about 447 kt y−1 surplus biomass available in Nagpur would amount to 9.18 PJ of energy (per year). Overall, local power plants demanded about 19.85 Mt of coal in 2017–18, equivalent to 297.8 PJ in that fiscal year. Thus, the supply of torrefied pellets from peri-urban crop residues can meet between 2 and 3% of the demand from coal-fired power plants, resulting in a 0.3% decrease in the emissions from the power sector in India in 2017–18 (i.e., 922 MtCO 2), benefiting different sectors and levels of government. The analysis provides a framework for understanding the technical and institutional possibilities for strengthening the relationship between circular economy and climate change in the cities of developing countries by connecting flows and systems within and beyond urban centers. Therefore, the expansion of Circular Economy in cities can occur by integrating urban sectors and policy coordination at different levels of governance. Partnerships between local governments, utilities, and civil society for co-managing energy, water, and waste in cities can reduce the financial burden on national governments, including meeting national emission targets. [Display omitted] • Urban circular economy can be advanced using biomass in thermal power plants. • Our model estimates biomass contribution to national decarbonization targets. • Biomass pellets can meet between 2 and 3% of the demand from local coal-fired power plants. • Such replacement accounts for a 0.3% decrease (or 922 MtCO 2) in the emissions from India's power sector. • Results contribute to the design of CE models for cities and regions by including different levels of government and sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renewable energy is the most prominent sustainable rescue to satisfy the present-day increasing energy demand. Storage technology must also mature to complement its large-scale integration feasibility and mitigate intermittent, unpredictable, and unscheduled electricity sources. With the enhancement in technology and sustainability impact, battery energy storage systems are gaining popularity. The wide range of applications and their constraints are reviewed in this literature. Different models, such as system-resilient, planning, operational, etc., are analyzed in the present context. Application of BESS is restricted due to the temperature rise caused by heat production as it operates, which may eventually lead to fire hazards. The battery thermal model can be coupled with equivalent circuit model. Integrating electrical ECM with the thermal model involves estimating terminal voltage and current. In this work, evaluations and comparisons of different ECM are demonstrated, and their advantages and disadvantages are juxtaposed concerning the model's structural complexity, accuracy, simulation run time, and differential equations. However, the storage capacity of the battery fades over time. Therefore, this paper reviews various causes of deterioration and different battery degradation models. This is followed by inspecting multiple active, passive, and hybrid battery thermal management systems. A novel model is proposed to realize optimal scheduling in conjunction with spatiotemporal parasitic redressal. Further, with the understanding of BTMS, the study attempts to correlate the safety issues related to BESS, earmarking some significant accidents through the root cause analysis. This work also highlights the abiding codes and standards. An intimately interconnected and explicable technological upliftment in the avenues mentioned above is leading India in the field of BESS, and a list of systems at an appreciable stage of development in India is presented towards the end. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: India is facing acute energy shortage that is likely to affect its economic development. There are severe supply side constraints in term of coal and gas shortages that are likely to continue in the near future. Hence, in its current focus to solving the energy shortage problem and sustaining the development trajectory, the country should aim at a balance between supply side and demand side measures. Energy Efficiency in end use is increasingly gaining importance as one of the most cost effective options for achieving short to medium term energy savings. India has initiated the National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency under National Action Plan for Climate Change which addresses various aspects of energy efficiency such as technology, financing, fiscal incentive and also creation of energy efficiency as a market instrument. However, even though energy efficiency has substantial scope in the Indian subcontinent, the market for energy efficiency has been limited. This paper discusses the concept of mega Demand Side Management projects as a DSM Power Plant. A DSM Power Plant acts as an umbrella with multiple energy efficiency schemes under its ambit aimed at transforming energy efficiency into a business by providing a push to the scale of operation as well as financial sustenance to energy efficiency projects. This paper expounds on the various aspects of DSM Power Plant in terms of its policy and institutional mechanism for the large scale implementation of energy efficiency in India. This paper provides an illustration of the concept of DSM Power Plant model through a case study in one of the states (Rajasthan) of India. Further, a comparative analysis of the cost of generation from DSM Power Plant and a representative conventional power plant (CPP) in Rajasthan has been undertaken and the DSM Power Plant comes out to be a more cost effective option. The concept of DSM Power Plant will not only address the issue of energy shortages but will also help the financially thwarted utilities to reduce their revenue deficit in the near future. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper presents for the first time correlations for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from small hydropower schemes in India. In this paper an attempt has been made to develop life cycle GHG emissions correlations for three different types of small hydropower schemes (run-of river, canal based and dam-toe) in India. It has been found out that GHG emissions depend on the head and capacity of the small hydropower project. The results obtained from correlations show good agreement with the estimated results using EIO-LCA (Economic Input–Output-Life Cycle Assessment) technique. These correlations may be useful for the development of new small hydropower (SHP) schemes, as they can be used to predict life cycle GHG emissions based on capacity, head and type of SHP schemes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The paper investigates the causality relationships among energy consumption, carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and income in India using a dynamic modeling approach. The paper also utilises an innovation accounting method to investigate profiles of the macroeconomic variables persisting from an unanticipated shock in innovation. Our results provide evidence of the existence of bi-directional Granger causality between energy consumption and CO2 emissions in the long-run but neither CO2 emissions nor energy consumption causes movements in real income. There is no causality relationship between energy consumption and income in any direction in the long-run implying that India could follow energy conservation and efficiency improvement policies without impeding economic growth. This will allow India to reduce CO2 emissions without affecting its economic growth and contribute significantly towards combating global warming as well. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A lecture theatre with dimension 16m×8.4m×3.6m located at Roorkee (28.58°N, 77.20°E) in the northern region of India, is selected to calculate the monthly and annual cooling load (kWh) and cooling capacity of air conditioning system by a computer simulation. The paper also presents the results of a study investigating the effect of different glazing systems on windows and the reduction in building cooling load. DesignBuilder software has been used for the computer simulation for calculating the cooling load. The paper aims to investigate the reduction in thermal gains and cooling load requirements by varying the U-values of different glazing types, insulating the ceiling, providing cool roofs, interior and exterior insulation on walls, and replacing the conventional fluorescent tube lamp (FTL) by energy efficient compact fluorescent lamp (CFL). Installation of false ceiling, wall insulation, different glazing types and lighting systems are cost effective with normalized annual saving ranging from 17% to 19.8% from this retrofitting project. Furthermore, the study also highlights the potential of reducing the emission of CO2 and equivalent carbon credit. Retrofitting techniques strongly influence the level of energy saving, although the payback period is generally quite long of order 8years. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Renewable energy sources and technologies have potential to provide solutions to the long-standing energy problems being faced by the developing countries. The renewable energy sources like wind energy, solar energy, geothermal energy, ocean energy, biomass energy and fuel cell technology can be used to overcome energy shortage in India. To meet the energy requirement for such a fast growing economy, India will require an assured supply of 3–4 times more energy than the total energy consumed today. The renewable energy is one of the options to meet this requirement. Today, renewable account for about 33% of India''s primary energy consumptions. India is increasingly adopting responsible renewable energy techniques and taking positive steps towards carbon emissions, cleaning the air and ensuring a more sustainable future. In India, from the last two and half decades there has been a vigorous pursuit of activities relating to research, development, demonstration, production and application of a variety of renewable energy technologies for use in different sectors. In this paper, efforts have been made to summarize the availability, current status, major achievements and future potentials of renewable energy options in India. This paper also assesses specific policy interventions for overcoming the barriers and enhancing deployment of renewables for the future. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: India''s energy challenges are multi-pronged. They are manifested through growing demand for modern energy carriers, a fossil fuel dominated energy system facing a severe resource crunch, the need for creating access to quality energy for the large section of deprived population, vulnerable energy security, local and global pollution regimes and the need for sustaining economic development. Renewable energy is considered as one of the most promising alternatives. Recognizing this potential, India has been implementing one of the largest renewable energy programmes in the world. Among the renewable energy technologies, bioenergy has a large diverse portfolio including efficient biomass stoves, biogas, biomass combustion and gasification and process heat and liquid fuels. India has also formulated and implemented a number of innovative policies and programmes to promote bioenergy technologies. However, according to some preliminary studies, the success rate is marginal compared to the potential available. This limited success is a clear indicator of the need for a serious reassessment of the bioenergy programme. Further, a realization of the need for adopting a sustainable energy path to address the above challenges will be the guiding force in this reassessment. In this paper an attempt is made to consider the potential of bioenergy to meet the rural energy needs: (1) biomass combustion and gasification for electricity; (2) biomethanation for cooking energy (gas) and electricity; and (3) efficient wood-burning devices for cooking. The paper focuses on analysing the effectiveness of bioenergy in creating this rural energy access and its sustainability in the long run through assessing: the demand for bioenergy and potential that could be created; technologies, status of commercialization and technology transfer and dissemination in India; economic and environmental performance and impacts; bioenergy policies, regulatory measures and barrier analysis. The whole assessment aims at presenting bioenergy as an integral part of a sustainable energy strategy for India. The results show that bioenergy technology (BET) alternatives compare favourably with the conventional ones. The cost comparisons show that the unit costs of BET alternatives are in the range of 15–187% of the conventional alternatives. The climate change benefits in terms of carbon emission reductions are to the tune of 110T C per year provided the available potential of BETs are utilized. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Coal is the abundant domestic energy resource in India and is projected to remain so in future under a business-as-usual scenario. Using domestic coal mitigates national energy security risks. However coal use exacerbates global climate change. Under a strict climate change regime, coal use is projected to decline in future. However this would increase imports of energy sources like natural gas (NG) and nuclear and consequent energy security risks for India. The paper shows that carbon dioxide (CO2) capture and storage (CCS) can mitigate CO2 emissions from coal-based large point source (LPS) clusters and therefore would play a key role in mitigating both energy security risks for India and global climate change risks. This paper estimates future CO2 emission projections from LPS in India, identifies the potential CO2 storage types at aggregate level and matches the two into the future using Asia-Pacific Integrated Model (AIM/Local model) with a Geographical Information System (GIS) interface. The paper argues that clustering LPS that are close to potential storage sites could provide reasonable economic opportunities for CCS in future if storage sites of different types are further explored and found to have adequate capacity. The paper also indicates possible LPS locations to utilize CCS opportunities economically in future, especially since India is projected to add over 220,000MW of thermal power generation capacity by 2030. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically altered global energy consumption, particularly affecting investment in renewable energy projects. In India, strict shelter-in-place orders enforced during March 2020 have since led to a considerable change in public and private sector investments in planned renewable energy installations. In this paper, we attempt to highlight trends in energy consumption and installed renewable energy capacity noted in India during a period concurrent with the shelter-in-place orders. We discuss recent policy measures and additions to installed renewable energy capacity, and propose key policy recommendations that may help the sector adopt a growth trajectory similar to one noted pre-pandemic. This paper is organized into four main parts. In the first section, we draw focus to India's renewable energy policies and pay special emphasis on recent interventions and campaigns targeted towards achieving high growth rates in the sector. We briefly discuss the need for effective public-private partnerships in order to meet these targets. In the second part, we quantitatively characterise the growth of renewables in India. We present an overview of several mechanisms and missions the government has launched in line with their policy to mitigate the environmental impact of India's energy mix. In the third part, we analyse the decrease in electricity demand in India from 24 March to 30 June 2020, a period concurrent with shelter-at-home orders issued by the Government. We also characterise changes in installed renewable energy capacity between March to December 2016–2020 to provide causal evidence of the effect of the pandemic on the growth of renewables. In this section, we also compile and analyse data on state-wise stressed assets across renewable energy generators in the country. Lastly, in the fourth and final portion of this paper, we highlight policy recommendations that may help the sector overcome logistical and financial bottlenecks in the short-term. We do this with the hope of outlining key measures that decision makers may employ to achieve pre-COVID sectoral growth in the long term. Our recommendations cover three different policy instruments: investment subsidies, operational subsidies, and recommendations for DISCOMs. • The increase in Indian renewable energy capacity installations between February to May 2020 hasseen an increment of 0.75%. • Daily electricity demand has decreased by 18.8% after the announcement of the shelter at home orders. • Immediate effects of the pandemic on the Indian renewable energy sector have been quantified. • A 3 tier system may be adopted to regulate incentives among renewable energy power producers. • Key policy recommendations to improve the fitness of the renewable energy sector have been discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As part of a two-part life cycle efficiency and greenhouse gas emission analysis for various automotive fuels in the Indian context, this paper presents the first part, i.e., Tank-to-Wheel analysis of various fuel/powertrain configurations for a subcompact passenger car. The Tank-to-Wheel analysis was applied to 28 fuel/powertrain configurations using fuels such as gasoline, diesel, compressed natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas and hydrogen with various conventional and hybrid electric powertrains. The gasoline-equivalent fuel economy and carbon dioxide emission results for individual fuel/powertrain configuration are evaluated and compared. It is found that the split hybrid configuration is best among hybrids as it leads to fuel economy improvement and carbon dioxide emissions reduction by 20–40% over the Indian drive cycle. Further, the engine efficiency, engine on-off time and regenerative braking energy assessment is done to evaluate the causes for higher energy efficiency of hybrid electric vehicles. The hybridization increases average engine efficiency by 10–60% which includes 19–23% of energy recovered at wheel through regenerative braking over the drive cycle. Overall, the Tank-to-Wheel energy use and efficiency results are evaluated for all fuel/powertrain configurations which show Battery Electric Vehicle, fuel cell vehicles and diesel hybrids are near and long term energy efficient vehicle configurations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renewable energy can play a strategic role in India in meeting the country’s growing energy demands, as well as combating climate change. Policymakers have recognized this potential and over the last decade have intensified their efforts towards creating a conducive regulatory and policy framework. Policy instruments such as renewable obligations, feed-in-tariffs and generation based incentives have specially aided the transformation towards large scale generation, enabling higher efficiency and lower costs of generation. However, financing has emerged as a significant barrier for sustaining the momentum gained in recent years. Given this background this paper provides an overview on the evolution of large scale generation and the consequent changes in financing requirements. It further reviews the emerging trends and barriers in the financing landscape and analyses the impact of policy performance in this context. Finally, it considers the design of a national renewable finance framework complete with targeted finance push instruments that can complement existing demand pull policies in facilitating investment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar Tower technology has gained considerable momentum over the past decade. Unlike the parabolic trough, Solar Tower has a lot of variants in terms of type of receivers, working fluids, power cycles, size of heliostats, etc. Most of the literature available on this technology does not address in great depths, details of various parameters associated with tower technology. A detailed examination of plant parameters is required in order to perform a potential assessment, design basis or feasibility analysis. This paper aims to assess the principal parameters of existing plants, namely, solar to electric conversion efficiency, mirror and land area per MW e of equivalent capacity, packing density, field layout configuration, receiver size, tower height and gross costs of plants, wherever data is available. Based on this global review of existing plants, it is observed that, the annual solar to electric conversion efficiencies has an average value of 16% and the packing density has an average value of about 20%. Since most of the existing plants have been constructed for demonstration purposes, the true potential of this technology has not yet been realised. Using this assessment as a basis, the technical, financial and policy drivers and barriers for adopting tower technology in India are discussed. It is seen that based on indigenisation prospects, tower technology with external cylindrical or cavity receivers with storage could be adopted. The role and significance of this technology is brought out in the context of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM) in order to achieve grid-connected solar power. It is estimated that around 1800 MW of grid connected Solar Tower plants could come up under this mission by 2022. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Energy consumption in developed as well as developing countries is high, especially in the residential and commercial building sectors. Researchers have been working on several technologies for the reduction of energy consumption in buildings; among them, energy-harvesting techniques are quite promising. In this paper, we explore a possibility of harnessing energy from grey water, while it flows down through high-raised buildings. We propose the usage of a micro/pico hydro turbine installed at the ground floor of a high rise building that utilizes the energy of grey water falling from floors above, to generate electricity. The electrical energy generated from the turbine can be utilized further in numerous ways. Scaled prototype of the same has been developed and tested. The proposed design of a gravity-energized wastewater system in high-rise buildings for generation of hydroelectricity is being checked for its feasibility in Indian markets. Calculation shows that the proposed system is commercially promising for most of the major cities in India. We also discuss cost benefits analysis of the proposed system to support our claims for possible commercialization of this technology. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Forest fires due to pine needles in the northwestern Himalayas during summers are a very common phenomenon every year causing major harm to flora and fauna. They are a major contributor to climate change as forest fires destroy hectares of land covered by forest and emit greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. One possible solution to this problem is to generate energy from the bio residue of pine tree. This paper intends to identify, categorize and prioritize the major factors that hinders and are barriers to energy generation using pine needles in the state of Uttarakhand, India. This paper adopts a multi-criteria decision-making approach based on the technique of fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process. Sensitivity analysis is also used to test the robustness of this technique. The study finds that Legal and regulatory factors are the most critical and categorized as major influences of such renewable energy generation project, which includes government policy, project guidelines, financial support, technical support, and government clearances. The second barrier is economic which majorly includes cost factor associated with the development and sustenance of such energy generation projects. Technological and market related factors are next on the priority to energy generation using pine needles through limitations such as topography, hilly terrain, seasonal availability, supply chain, poor marketing. Human resource barriers stands at the fifth place and has less influence on such energy generation initiatives. This paper will help the policy makers to understand the priorities while solving energy generation issues to reduce forest fires and contribute to mitigate climate change. • To categorize the major factors negatively affecting energy generation using Pine needles. • To assess and prioritize these barriers. • To deliver managerial and practical implications for these barriers. • Legal and regulatory most critical barrier to pine needle based energy generation. • Lack of proper marketing has topmost global ranking as barrier. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing energy demands and commitments in relation to climate change have accelerated the deployment of solar power globally, especially in India. Grid-connected solar capacity in the country has increased ∼11 times in just five years, from 2.6 GW in March 2014 to 28.18 GW in March 2019. However, this development has inevitably also led to the emergence of significant volumes of solar photovoltaic (PV) waste, which will only increase in the upcoming years, a considerable challenge for its waste management system. The environmental and human health risks associated with the unscientific dumping of solar PV waste have been well established in the existing literature, presenting the need to develop an effective strategy to manage this emerging waste stream. This paper presents a review of literature about India's solar PV waste management sector with a view to understanding the ground realities and identifying challenges and barriers that hinder the adoption of a regularised strategy for its management using the DPSIR framework approach. It goes on to propose a regulatory framework aimed at mainstreaming the end-of-life (EOL) management of solar PV waste in India after evaluating strategies that have already been used worldwide. In line with the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) concept, a multistakeholder, multi-sectoral and systematic approach has been adopted to develop a specific regulatory framework for India. The framework was subjected to a SWOT analysis to evaluate its functionality. The SWOT analysis indicates that one of the critical strengths of the framework is that it is based on a participatory approach to be adopted by all stakeholders for managing this emerging waste stream. [Display omitted] • Solar PV waste at EOL emerging as a prominent waste stream in India. • EOL solar PV waste management can foster Resource Efficiency and Circularity. • Systems approach and multistakeholder required to manage solar PV waste. • Self-standing EPR legislation is appropriate for EOL solar PV waste management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The paper introduces the approach and concept for DSM in India. A comprehensive methodology for implementing a DSM programme in India has been outlined. Detailed step wise action plan formulated for planning and implementing of DSM programme in India is presented. Various policies and regulations framed by India for promotion of DSM activities targeting different sectors are studied. The deficiencies in the existing regulatory and policy framework which have withheld deployment of DSM programmes on a large scale in India have been identified. A number of barriers and challenges that are needed to overcome for realizing the potential of DSM in India are also discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Most studies on household energy choices have considered income and education as suitable proxies for socio-cultural contexts, primarily because the available data on household energy is from census surveys which are mainly household consumption surveys, not focused energy surveys. Acknowledging the existing data constraints, a more focussed household energy survey was designed for rural India with the aim of better understanding determinants of current energy use patterns, energy choices, to measure the impacts of these factors, and importantly, arrive at key policy insights. This paper revisits the definition of access to include for reliability and quality going beyond conventional understanding. It also relooks at the role of gender in household energy choices. Having established that apart from income, socio-cultural factors may have a greater role in determining household energy choices, the model results indicate electricity access would have a positive impact on cooking energy choices only after meeting a minimum threshold requirement. As women move towards more formal employment, the odds of choosing cleaner fuels increase significantly. Thus, while macro-policies may provide important guidelines and the necessary framework, implementation strategies need to be designed at the local level through a participatory approach making energy an integral part of the development paradigm. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Biomass based energy generation is one of the major focus areas of renewable energy programs in India. The strength of India's biomass resources mostly lies in the agricultural sector. A large quantity of crop residue biomass is generated in India. However, crop residue biomasses are distributed resources with variation in spatio-temporal availability and its characteristics. Competing uses of residues also vary geographically. Therefore, local biomass databases are important for decentralized bioenergy programs. However, in India, state wise crop level biomass database is limited. The present paper assessed crop residue biomass and subsequently bioenergy potential in all the 28 states of India using crop statistics and standard procedure. A total of 39 residues from 26 crops cultivated in India are considered for the study. Overall, India produces 686MT gross crop residue biomass on annual basis, of which 234MT (34% of gross) are estimated as surplus for bioenergy generation. At state level, Uttar Pradesh produces the highest amount of crop residue amongst all the 28 states. Amongst all the crops, sugarcane produces the highest amount of surplus residue followed by rice. The estimated annual bioenergy potential from the surplus crop residue biomass is 4.15EJ, equivalent to 17% of India's total primary energy consumption. There exists variation from 679MJ (West Bengal) to 16,840MJ (Punjab) of per capita crop residue bioenergy potential amongst the states of India. The information generated in this study is expected to be useful for decentralized crop residue based energy planning by the states of India which in turn would positively influence the overall renewable energy growth in India. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: India's power generation capacity needs to be augmented to, support the growing demands for electricity. India, which has predominantly used fossil fuels to power its generators need to make a switch to clean energy fuels. But renewable sources form a miniscule portion (26GW,~12%) of India's overall installed power capacity (210GW). There is no contribution from offshore wind farms to the energy basket for India, as there is no policy framework to encourage the development of offshore wind farms. Several European countries have tapped the offshore wind energy potential to reduce their dependence on adopted by these countries to identify the core components (21 of them) of robust policy intervention. A detailed questionnaire was administered to 181 stakeholders of wind energy in India to seek their feedback on these building blocks. These core components (variables in research parlance) are then subjected to factor analysis to understand the underlying structure of the variables. The factor analysis logically reduces these 21 variables into five factors (Government support, fiscal and quota based incentives, availability of local expertise, capital for investments and building an enabling R&D ecosystem), which are then fed into a logistic regression model as ‘independent variables’ to predict the probability of growth of offshore wind energy (dependent variable) in the country. The logistic regression model gives the weight (the impact) of these independent variables in influencing the growth of offshore wind energy in India. It emerges that government support, fiscal and quota based incentives and building an enabling R&D ecosystem have a much higher impact on the growth of offshore wind energy for India. This paper fills the gap of absence of an empirically tested framework on offshore wind energy policy for India. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• 6.34% of fuel energy and 5.20% of fuel exergy are lost through the exhaust gases. • KCS11 can well be integrated with cogeneration plant for exhaust heat utilization. • On the basis of acid due point calculations, exhaust heat is utilized up to 105 °C. • Exhaust temperature can be further lowered if FGD unit or Teflon coating is used. • The performance can be improved drastically if bagasse moisture is reduced to nil. Power generation through bagasse-fired cogeneration plants is a common practice in sugarcane producing countries. The exergy-based analysis of a 16 MW grid-connected cogeneration plant of a sugar factory situated in India carried out by the author earlier and published as a separate paper, had disclosed that 6.34% of fuel energy and 5.20% of fuel exergy were lost through the flue gases. To utilize a part of this waste heat for conversion into electricity, in this paper, Kalina cycle is theoretically integrated with the considered plant. The sulphuric dew point is estimated to be 100.25 °C. Hence, to prevent acid condensation from exhaust gases, the exhaust heat can be safely utilized up to a temperature of 105 °C. Keeping ammonia-mass fraction at 0.8 and turbine inlet pressure at 4000 kPa, the net power output of the integrated plant is found to increase by 375.2135 kW thereby increasing the overall energy and exergy efficiencies of cogeneration by 0.3819% and 0.3150% respectively. The plant currently uses bagasse containing 50% moisture. If bagasse is completely dried by suitable means, power output will further increase by 3531.5 kW increasing the cogeneration energy and exergy efficiencies further by 3.5948% and 2.9630%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An extensive canal irrigation network in South Asia has developed over the past 170 years that consists of thousands of kilometers of constructed channels and distributaries. These canals cut across many energy-poor regions along their paths. In India, this canal network provides a unique opportunity for renewable energy generation that is yet to be realized. Existing technologies for energy generation on canals include small hydropower on canal falls and, recently, canal-top solar panels. In addition, opportunities for hydrokinetic generation in irrigation canals have received limited attention. This paper develops a novel canal-network level framework for energy planning that integrates generation with local energy needs in a canal-corridor. This framework for integrated spatial assessment analyzes the supply of renewable energy generation potential and the demand of unmet energy needs in a canal-corridor, using the Upper Ganga Canal in Uttar Pradesh, India as a case study. We consider the theoretical and technological potential of hydropower and solar power generation and develop three indices to assess the agricultural, domestic, and composite unmet power demand of the canal-corridor. Our results show an overall theoretical potential of 149.1 MW and 13,213 MW for small hydropower and solar power, respectively, which could more than help meet the current 18 hours per day electricity service standard in Uttar Pradesh. The framework uses standardized irrigation and census datasets and therefore is generalizable for canal networks across India and South Asia more broadly. • Irrigation canal energy technologies include small hydro and canal-top solar power. • Novel canal-network level framework for energy planning. • Integration of generation potential with local energy needs in a canal corridor. • Theoretical and technological potential of energy generation on canals. • Three indices for agricultural, domestic, and composite unmet power demand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• India's road transport sector heavily dependent on imported fossil fuels. • Consequently, energy security, economy and environment are adversely impacted. • Biofuels, CNG, CBG, LPG, methanol, electricity, and hydrogen are preferred alternative options. • Policy supports for development of these alternative fuels are discussed. • Opportunities and challenges for growth of these fuels are also analysed. Rapid economic development and increasing population are contributing to growing energy demand in India. Road transport sector, almost fully dependent on petroleum oil, is the third highest user of the total final energy in India. More than four-fifth of crude petroleum is imported, which is responsible for nearly one-fifth of country's import bill. India's share of the global energy related CO 2 emissions was about 7% in 2018, of which about 13% was caused by the transport sector. With a view of decarbonising the road transport sector and also addressing issues concerning energy efficiency, energy security, air quality and transport induced noise, alternative fuels have been explored in India for about two decades. This paper reviews policy support and related developments regarding biofuels, compressed natural gas, methanol, electricity, and hydrogen for automotive applications in India with a brief mention about international progress. The opportunities for their growth by 2030 and challenges to realise the potential are also analysed. Biofuels and electricity can offer significant opportunities for decarbonising the road transport sector in the near term. Compressed natural gas in short term and hydrogen in medium and long term may also play important roles in this regard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]