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

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.