Heatwaves are sweeping across India, with March recording the hottest in 122 years, resulting in high energy demand touching 207GW in April-end, the worst crisis in over six years. Demand is far exceeding supply resulting in power outages by state DISCOMs.

Amidst the coal crisis where the Centre has invoked an emergency law to operate idle coal import-based utilities, energy transition experts believe the electricity generation for 1.35 billion people based on expensive imported coal for blending is commercially unviable -- both high and inflationary.

India has always been a land of brutal but predictable weather. Now, the climate crisis is expected to change that, with increasingly erratic heat and water extremes unleashed at unusual times, or even simultaneously. While the country has proved to be a model of disaster preparedness in the past, the rising probability of highly disruptive compound weather events – known as 'black swans' – represents an unprecedented risk to the economy at large. And despite the mounting warnings from experts, India's big banks appear to be turning a blind eye to climate risk.

IISD Senior Energy Specialist Vibhuti Garg talks about green energy and its future in an exclusive interview with the Editor in Chief of The Prode, Ritwij Shandilya.

India increased its solar capacity 15-fold from 2014 to 2021, with solar power becoming a fast developing industry in the country as part of the renewable energy sector.

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), an independent think tank, said in July 2021 that India lagged behind other key markets for Electric Vehicles such as China, Europe, and the United States.

Jagdev Prasad is a farmer based in Baghar village in Barachatti block of Gaya district in Bihar. He owns 3.5 acres of agricultural land in the village and often grows wheat, brinjal and other vegetables on his farm. Till about five years ago, he used to irrigate his land with conventional form of the electricity and use diesel to run the motors to ensure no damage to the crops due to lack of irrigation.