‘India must focus on disruptive tech to keep energy cost competitive’

New Delhi, Aug 25 (SocialNews.XYZ) Lower cost of energy is key to the growth of the economy and India should focus on developing disruptive technologies to keep the cost competitive and meet the goal of decarbonisation by 2050, a top scientist said on Wednesday.

"Clean energy supply would increase 120 to 140 times, and this increase has to come primarily through solar, wind, and nuclear. Share of electricity would go up primarily for e-mobility. Surplus biomass can be converted to hydrogen or hydrogen substitutes for use in industry and transportation. Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) is inevitable for transition to low carbon economy," Atomic Energy Commission's former Chairman Dr Anil Kakodkar said.

Kakodkar, who is also the former Chairman of the Technology Information, Forecasting & Assessment Council (TIFAC), was speaking at a virtual event organised as part of the TIFAC Tech talk series, a release said.

"We need to learn strategies for rapid deployment of pressurised heavy water reactors, which are indigenous, very competitive, and high performance, as well as strategies for deployment of light water reactors and for cogeneration of hydrogen, he said.

Thrust areas for further strategies for decarbonisation include hydrogen and electric mobility, conversion of surplus agricultural residue, solar, wind, and nuclear energy to hydrogen or hydrocarbons, non-fossil heating, and refrigeration and conversion of coal to fluid fuel to minimise energy import bill. "They also include CCU to minimise emission and enhancement of domestic petrochemicals production to meet demand and improve the balance of payment as well as energy security," he said.

The talk series on the topic "Energy Security and Sustainability in India" has been organised by the TIFAC, an autonomous organisation of Department of Science & Technology (DST) to disseminate knowledge of science and technology for the benefit of the scientific fraternity and society on the occasion of the celebration of 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav'.

TIFAC Executive Director, Dr Pradeep Srivastava, highlighted energy challenges and future roadmap. "The buzzword for today's world and the economy is energy. We know the trends, and there are opportunities and challenges for India."

"Energy is integral to the support of our economy, and it should be clean, affordable, and sustainable. This talk would help us understand India's energy roadmap for sustainability and security in the energy sector," he pointed out.

Source: IANS