The key to India's Energy Impasse

The growing demand for power brought on by the simultaneous growth of urban areas and modernisation of rural areas is putting a great deal of pressure on our coal-based energy sector. Alternative energy sources like hydropower and wind seem to have limited potential for large-scale electricity generation in a country where land is highly contested, while traditional power plants are groaning under the strain. Some 'green' energy sources can incur environmental and social costs as a result of poor design, as was the case with the wind farms and small hydroelectric projects in the Western Ghats. Furthermore, inefficient transmission networks cause substantial losses of available electricity.

Small scale, decentralised energy systems might hold the answer. In decentralised models, urban, semiurban, and rural centres can be designed to have their own grids based on a variety of local power sources. Shorter power lines can lower transmission losses. Buildings can be made more energy efficient by changing how they are utilised, and both rural and urban homes can become self-sufficient by incorporating solar power generation into building design.

To further reduce the use of fossil fuels, smarter cities should be built with work residential complexes that limit daily travel. Public transit will help ease traffic congestion and cut down on pollution by enticing more city dwellers to adopt this method of transportation. It may be advantageous that energy acts as the key link connecting numerous aspects of a nation's development. As a result, a successful energy efficiency strategy can solve a number of other problems caused by economic expansion, such as those affecting animals and the environment. A sustainable future for India can be planned with the use of collective intelligence. Whether India uses its natural resources responsibly and leaves a better environment for future generations to live in will depend on the policies we put in place now.