Search

India has characterised shale gas as a transitional energy source and is planning to commercially scale the extraction of shale gas through hydraulic fracturing (fracking). Currently, India has announced 56 fracking projects spread across six Indian states. In doing so, exploration of shale gas resources has started in India. The regulations that govern conventional extraction processes are also applicable to fracking activities. The conflation of fracking with conventional drilling processes in India's regulatory approach may have implications for the country's water security, given the unique risks that fracking poses to water resources. This article analyses India's regulatory framework applicable to fracking-specific water (FSW) issues. In doing so, this article identifies four key paradigms of water security and maps these key paradigms with the US fracking experience, identifying four key FSW issues. Subsequently, this article evaluates if India's multilevel regulatory system regulates the identified four FSW issues. In conclusion, this research finds that before commercially scaling fracking operations, India must conduct a scientific inquiry on the impact of proposed fracking projects on its water resources. In doing so, it must re-examine its regulations at the federal and state levels to comprehensively cover FSW issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hydraulic fracturing (fracking) and groundwater contamination debate started as soon as the commercial production of shale gas began in the United States. Since then there have been contrasting studies that have analysed the risk of groundwater contamination in carrying out fracking activities. In India, fracking is at its initial stage and therefore considering the groundwater contamination probabilities at the proposed sites, the Indian legislators/regulators may invoke the precautionary principle. This paper analyses the contrasting research over the probability of groundwater contamination, especially through methane migration, at fracking sites. Further, this paper examines the need for applying the precautionary principle, considering the scientific uncertainty prevailing over methane migration and groundwater contamination, to the Indian legal regime applicable to fracking activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Worldwide, the demand for energy has increased significantly in last two decades, leading to an increased use of non-renewable energy resources. The global agenda aims to reduce the carbon intensity of energy in long-term climate change mitigation strategies, and to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG-7) on affordable and clean energy. Use of renewable energy (RE) can contribute to reducing global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions while providing incremental financial resources to stimulate clean development mechanisms. Hydropower continues to be the leading RE option and has the additional benefits of water storage for agriculture and other uses. Drawing on the position of four Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) countries – Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan – this paper investigates the current status of hydropower generation and related policies, and attempts to identify the key challenges to and opportunities for hydropower development in the region. Collectively, four HKH countries have commercially feasible hydropower potential of nearly 190 GW. However, only one-third of this potential has actually been tapped so far. Nepal and Pakistan have tapped 2% and 12%, respectively, of their hydropower potential. The current hydropower supply has not been able to fulfill the electricity demand in the region, where 26–37% of the rural population is living without access to electricity, and future demand for electricity is likely to increase sharply. There are several economic, social, technical, environmental, ecological and political challenges to hydropower production in the HKH countries. Despite these challenges, hydropower remains an important option for achieving renewable energy goals in the region. To achieve these goals, we suggest capitalizing on emerging opportunities such as large hydropower development using a 'smart approach', micro-hydropower promotion, energy trade, and regional cooperation for collective energy development programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Providing basic minimum energy services has become a real challenge for developing countries of the world. India encounters the problem of provisioning basic minimum electricity services to a section of her population. Renewable energy-based decentralised systems have emerged as a viable electrification option for many developing countries of the world, particularly for rural and remote areas of the country. This study explores the replication and scaling-up of potential of such mini-grids in the least electrified states of India by considering a set of evaluation criteria i.e. grid-extension option, renewable energy resource potential, electrification rate, organisational strength, presence or absence of technical support system, and ease of access to banking services. Overall rankings suggest that top 20% districts offer good business potential for private investors to venture into the mini-grid market. However, the concern lies with the districts placed at the bottom, which require specific government interventions through appropriate policy, regulatory and financial support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture sector being the backbone of the Indian economy always receives prioritized attention by the policy makers and planners. The age old debate between energy-water nexus has received a renewed thrust due to emergence of solarized irrigation systems for the agriculture sector in the country. The present study, develops a model innovatively by combining a bottom-up approach with top-down data to understand the future water and energy requirements for agriculture sector under three scenarios till 2030 for five major agrarian states, namely Haryana, Punjab, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu. Estimates are made to understand the benefits accrued due to solarlization of existing pumps as well as by use of energy efficient pumps. Results indicate that around INR 76 billion could be saved by all the five states together due to reduction of electricity subsidy alone if such transitions are realized. Other benefits are viewed in terms of reduction in energy costs, reduction in CO2 emissions, and efficient use of water for irrigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article sheds light on multi-level climate governance in the particular context of India and scrutinizes the role India’s subnational states play in climate policy. It uses an analytical lens that combines multi-level climate governance and “laboratories of experimentation”. The first part of the article clarifies the analytical concept of the article and deals with the phenomenon of states experimentation in multi-level climate governance structures from a theoretical background. The second part of the article explores India’s multi-level climate governance structure and sheds light on the role of India’s states therein with specific emphasis on the development of renewable energy. The third part looks at the multi-tiered climate action planning processes, and considers how central top-down policies and subnational bottom-up approaches are linked. Asking whether the Indian states do not only act as mere implementers of federal top-down policies, but instead create own initiatives for climate action. The article examines state climate action plans with particular focus on renewable energy initiatives integrated in the plans by asking whether the Indian states do not act solely as mere implementers of federal top-down policies, but instead create their own initiatives for climate action, much like the German Bundesländer, for example. Based on document analysis and interviews the article explores whether India’s states experiment with individual approaches to develop renewable energy which are, tailored to regional specifics, or whether they mainly implement national objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]