Is India on the Brink of Energy-Driven Economic Collapse?
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 07.22.08
Set aside, for a moment, the foreign policy and political aspects of India's impending crisis of government. Instead, let's turn up the sustainability filter, taking our lead from EnergyDaily from which we provide this excerpt for those of you who have not been following the story:
"Is this an issue on which the government should be brought down?" Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee said at the start of the stormy debate in parliament's 545-seat lower house, which will vote on a trust motion Tuesday...Via::Energy Daily, Indian govt makes passionate appeal to save US nuclear deal.Mukherjee -- one of the architects of the US-India deal -- said the government was merely trying to "solve our problems of the future," saying it was India's only hope of avoiding a gigantic energy crisis.
What is at the root of India's crisis? What are the implications for climate action?
Personal and corporate impacts.
Power outages are reported to be increasingly common in India, and projected to worsen. The impacts of power outages are more than just an inconvenience in metropolitan areas. For example, corporate operations and services outsourced to India from elsewhere will gradually become less reliable and more costly, threatening India's economic growth engine as well as the profitability of international corporations.
Worsening electricity shortages on the horizon.
The Indian government is expecting internal coal resources to last only 40 years; and, hydro power options are limited. What's left, at least according to how this is being framed in most western media outlets, is the nuclear option, which is perceived as having great potential.
Nuclear energy at India's 17 existing reactors currently account for less than four percent of power generation capacity of around 145,000 megawatts.
Alternative paths are conspicuously missing.
No mention is made of conservation, renewable energy, distributed power, combined heat & power (CHP), carbon sequestration, etc.
Now let's talk foreign policy. How would the nuclear deal have flown if conditioned with a requirement that both parties (India and USA) join in supporting climate action? Could not the "win-win" aspect have changed the atmosphere entirely, allowing India the chance to tip world events favorably?
If the pot were sweetened with US technological and economic support for renewable energy development in India?
If the agreement included incentives to leverage the engineering talents of both the US and India to take conservation of energy to the brink?
Image credit::Rediff India Abroad, US President George W Bush with External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Indian Ambassador Ronen Sen., - Jay Mandal
Earlier TreeHugger coverage of "non-nuclear" options in India
Renewable Energy Begun to be Embraced by India’s Hindu Temples ...
Jatropha Production Expanded in India, Hindustan Petroleum to ...
Renewable Energy, Solar Power, Key to India’s New Climate Plan ...
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Couldn't agree more with the post. The potential in India for alternative sources of energy are huge, given the amount of sunlight most of the country receives and the length of the coastline where wind energy could be used.
Also there is quite a bit of power lost in transmission which is significant for a country like India. After all power saved is power produced!
Solar cells are expensive. I'm not too certain why India can't harness wind power. It is perhaps (guessing) because of the huge initial investment and slow returns. But nuclear power is cheap and efficient. Consider this: More than 50% of the power produced in India gets stolen!! Whole colonies get together and thrash raiding parties if they ever do get the courage to look for power thieves. If someone does get caught, there are huge protests against power companies which often get violent. Fines for stealing power are never paid. There are so many people stealing power, from urchins to civil servants, that power companies are absolutely helpless in dealing with it. In this scenario, nuclear power does indeed make most sense.
Solar cells are expensive. I'm not too certain why India can't harness wind power. It is perhaps (guessing) because of the huge initial investment and slow returns. But nuclear power is cheap and efficient. Consider this: More than 50% of the power produced in India gets stolen!! Whole colonies get together and thrash raiding parties if they ever do get the courage to look for power thieves. If someone does get caught, there are huge protests against power companies which often get violent. Fines for stealing power are never paid. There are so many people stealing power, from urchins to civil servants, that power companies are absolutely helpless in dealing with it. In this scenario, nuclear power does indeed make most sense.
I agree with the post. There is a nuclear deal between India and US. There should have been atleast mention of Global warming and renewable sources during the deal.
Discussions did happen on this nuclear deal when US initially signed this agreement. I am afraid that they were all on how India should support US on Iran issue (which is an unnecessary thing).
Nothing about renewable sources.
Sad
I wish Al Gore as current USA president.
Venu