{"id":113847,"date":"2024-06-14T15:11:35","date_gmt":"2024-06-14T09:41:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/?post_type=udaan&#038;p=113847"},"modified":"2024-09-20T18:21:53","modified_gmt":"2024-09-20T12:51:53","slug":"india-green-energy-initiatives","status":"publish","type":"udaan","link":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/udaan\/india-green-energy-initiatives","title":{"rendered":"Green Energy Initiatives in India: Transforming Towards Sustainability"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India is actively pursuing various green initiatives to <\/span><b>transform its <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/current-affairs\/energy-transition\/\"><b>energy <\/b><\/a><b>sector and promote sustainability<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Key projects include the<\/span><b> Green Energy Corridor<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to integrate renewable energy, green building certifications like <\/span><b>LEED <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and<\/span><b> GRIHA<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and policies such as the <\/span><b>Renewable Purchase Obligation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to increase renewable energy usage. These efforts are aimed at <\/span><b>reducing greenhouse gas emissions<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and promoting environmental sustainability.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>India&#8217;s Green Initiatives: Transforming the Energy Sector for a Sustainable Future<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>Green Energy Corridor<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Green Energy Corridor (GEC) in India is a significant initiative aimed at transforming the country&#8217;s energy infrastructure to better integrate renewable energy sources.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>The following information gives a detailed outline of its phases, objectives, and significance:<\/b><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>Objectives of the Green Energy Corridor<\/b><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Evacuation of <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/current-affairs\/challenges-of-renewable-energy\/\"><b>Renewable <\/b><\/a><b>Energy:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The primary objective is to facilitate the efficient evacuation of large-scale renewable energy, particularly from solar and wind sources, into the national grid.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Strengthening Grid Infrastructure:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The project aims to enhance and expand the grid infrastructure to accommodate the integration of renewable energy.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Improving Grid Stability:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Ensuring the stability of the grid is crucial, given the intermittent nature of renewable energy sources.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>Green Buildings<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Green buildings are designed to reduce the <\/span><b>overall impact of the built environment on human health <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and<\/span><b> the natural environment<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (LEED) and <\/span><b>Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(GRIHA) are two prominent green building certification systems that assess and certify buildings based on their environmental performance and sustainability.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Origin and Development:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> LEED was developed by the <\/span><b>U.S. Green Building Council<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, a non-profit organization committed to sustainable building practices.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Assessment Criteria: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The LEED certification system evaluates buildings on a range of criteria that include <\/span><b>energy efficiency, water usage, indoor air quality, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and<\/span><b> the use of sustainable building materials<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Certification Levels: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Buildings seeking LEED certification can achieve different levels of recognition based on their performance across various sustainability metrics.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These levels are LEED Certified, <\/span><b>Silver, Gold, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and<\/span><b> Platinum<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Global Applicability:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> LEED&#8217;s framework is applied worldwide, transcending geographical boundaries to provide guidelines for creating <\/span><b>healthy, efficient, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and<\/span><b> cost-saving green buildings<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Its global applicability has made it a benchmark for best practices in <\/span><b>sustainable building <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and<\/span><b> construction<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, influencing projects around the world.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>GRIHA (Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment)<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Origin and Development: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">GRIHA was conceptualised and developed by <\/span><b>The Energy and Resources Institute<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (TERI), a leading research institute in India focused on sustainable development.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Assessment Criteria: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The GRIHA system assesses buildings based on a comprehensive set of parameters that include sustainable site planning, building design optimisation, reduced energy consumption, efficient water usage, sustainable material usage, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/current-affairs\/waste-management-in-india\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">waste management<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and improved indoor air quality.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These criteria are designed to ensure that <\/span><b>buildings are environmentally sustainable throughout their life cycle<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO)<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>Background: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The concept of RPO was introduced in India as part of the <\/span><b>Electricity Act of 2003<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and the <\/span><b>National Tariff Policy of 2006<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, it gained significant momentum with the launch of the <\/span><b>National Action Plan on Climate Change in 2008<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Objectives of the Renewable Purchase Obligation:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Promotion of Renewable Energy: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The RPO is designed to increase the use of renewable energy sources in electricity generation, thereby reducing reliance on fossil fuels.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Environmental Sustainability: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By mandating a certain percentage of electricity to be sourced from renewables, the RPO aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote environmental sustainability.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Current Status and Developments:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>RPO Targets: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>Ministry of Power<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (MoP) in India sets specific RPO targets for obligated entities, which include distribution <\/span><b>licensees, open access consumers, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and<\/span><b> captive power producers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Compliance Mechanism: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>Central Electricity Regulatory Commission<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (CERC) and State Electricity Regulatory Commissions (SERCs) oversee the compliance of these targets.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"3\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They also regulate the <\/span><b>Renewable Energy Certificate<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (REC) mechanism, which allows obligated entities to meet their RPO targets through the purchase of RECs.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Recent Updates: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Government of India has been updating RPO targets to reflect its increasing commitment to renewable energy.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"3\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These targets are crucial for achieving the broader goals of the <\/span><b>Paris Agreement<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and India&#8217;s own renewable energy targets.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>UJALA Scheme\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The UJALA (Unnat Jeevan by Affordable LEDs and Appliances for All) scheme is a significant initiative by the Government of India <\/span><b>to promote energy efficiency and <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/list-of-environment-conventions-and-protocols\/\"><b>environmental <\/b><\/a><b>conservation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was launched on May 1st, 2015.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Ministry responsible: Ministry of power<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>KUSUM Scheme<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The PM-KUSUM was launched by the <\/span><b>MNRE in 2019<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in order to <\/span><b>endow installation of off-grid solar pumps in rural areas<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and reduce dependence on grid in grid-connected areas.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Components: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Installation ofgrid-connectedplants; installationn of Off-grid Solar Pumps and Solarization of Existing Grid-connected Agricultural Pumps<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Ministry responsible: Ministry of New and Renewable Energy\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Atal Jyoti Yojana (AJAY)<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A scheme to provide <\/span><b>solar street lighting<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in areas where grid power is either <\/span><b>unavailable or unreliable<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It focuses on lighting streets using <\/span><b>solar power<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, reducing dependence on conventional electricity and promoting renewable energy.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Ministry responsible: Ministry of New and Renewable Energy<\/b><b>\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<table style=\"width: 97.9487%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 319.807%; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #ff5e00; text-align: center;\" colspan=\"2\"><strong><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">Must Read<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 50.3345%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #e9ebe8;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/current-affairs\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Current Affairs<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 269.472%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #e9ebe8;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/editorial-analysis\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Editorial Analysis<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 50.3345%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #e9ebe8;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/upsc-notes\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Upsc Notes\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 269.472%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #e9ebe8;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/blogs\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Upsc Blogs\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 50.3345%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #e9ebe8;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/ncert-notes\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">NCERT Notes<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 269.472%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #e9ebe8;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/mains-answer-writing\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Free Main Answer Writing<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Conclusion<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India&#8217;s comprehensive green initiatives, from the Green Energy Corridor to schemes like <\/span><b>UJALA, KUSUM, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and<\/span><b> AJAY<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, highlight the country&#8217;s commitment to a sustainable energy future.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By integrating <\/span><b>renewable energy, enhancing energy efficiency, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and<\/span><b> promoting green buildings<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, India is working towards reducing its carbon footprint and ensuring environmental conservation for future generations.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<table style=\"width: 98.4509%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 133.235%; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #ff5e00; text-align: center;\" colspan=\"2\"><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\"><b>Related Articles\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 49.7049%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #e9ebe8;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/current-affairs\/challenges-of-renewable-energy\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Challenges of Renewable Energy<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 83.5304%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #e9ebe8;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/current-affairs\/waste-management-in-india\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Waste Management in India, Current Policies, Regulations, and Challenges<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 49.7049%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #e9ebe8;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/current-affairs\/energy-transition\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Energy Transition<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 83.5304%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #e9ebe8;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/list-of-environment-conventions-and-protocols\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">List of Environment Conventions and Protocols<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"author":38,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","udaan-chapter":[5492],"udaan-subject":[5466],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/udaan\/113847"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/udaan"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/udaan"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/38"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=113847"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=113847"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"udaan-chapter","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/udaan-chapter?post=113847"},{"taxonomy":"udaan-subject","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/udaan-subject?post=113847"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}