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Estimating minimum energy requirement for transitioning to a net-zero, developed India in 2070


Affiliations
1 Applied Systems Analysis, Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai 400 094, India; Chemical Engineering Group, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400 085, India
2 Applied Systems Analysis, Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai 400 094, India
3 Chemical Engineering Group, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400 085, India
 

Determining minimum energy consumption per capita to support high development is a crucial activity for energy planners and policy makers working within resource, environmental and budgetary constraints. A composite metric like the human development index (HDI) of a nation is positively correlated with its energy consumption. The present study focuses on the estimation of minimum energy requirement for India to attain net-zero and a HDI value of 0.9 by 2070. The final energy requirement is found to be about 18,900–22,300 TWh/yr, indicating more than three-fold rise from the current consumption. About 30–40% of the final energy may be consumed in the form of hydrogen, whereas the rest will be used directly as electricity. Rapid infrastructure creation for high development and extensive digitalization may require additional 4400–4800 TWh/yr in the initial phases of rapid growth.

Keywords

Decent living standards, greenhouse gases, human development index, minimum energy requirement, net-zero emissions.
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  • Estimating minimum energy requirement for transitioning to a net-zero, developed India in 2070

Abstract Views: 367  |  PDF Views: 150

Authors

Rupsha Bhattacharyya
Applied Systems Analysis, Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai 400 094, India; Chemical Engineering Group, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400 085, India
K. K. Singh
Applied Systems Analysis, Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai 400 094, India; Chemical Engineering Group, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400 085, India
R. B. Grover
Applied Systems Analysis, Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai 400 094, India
K. Bhanja
Chemical Engineering Group, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400 085, India

Abstract


Determining minimum energy consumption per capita to support high development is a crucial activity for energy planners and policy makers working within resource, environmental and budgetary constraints. A composite metric like the human development index (HDI) of a nation is positively correlated with its energy consumption. The present study focuses on the estimation of minimum energy requirement for India to attain net-zero and a HDI value of 0.9 by 2070. The final energy requirement is found to be about 18,900–22,300 TWh/yr, indicating more than three-fold rise from the current consumption. About 30–40% of the final energy may be consumed in the form of hydrogen, whereas the rest will be used directly as electricity. Rapid infrastructure creation for high development and extensive digitalization may require additional 4400–4800 TWh/yr in the initial phases of rapid growth.

Keywords


Decent living standards, greenhouse gases, human development index, minimum energy requirement, net-zero emissions.

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv122%2Fi5%2F517-527