A symposium was held on the “Green Transition in States” on 11th November 2024 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. The event was organized by NITI Aayog, Govt of India, with ISEG Foundation as a knowledge partner.

The symposium saw participation from senior dignitaries from central and state governments, including Sh. Suman Bery, VC, NITI Aayog, Sh. B. V. R. Subrahmanyam, CEO, NITI Aayog, Sh. R P Gupta, Chairman and Managing Director, SECI, Ms. Leena Nandan, Secretary, MoEFCC, Sh. Pankaj Agarwal, Secretary, Ministry of Power, Sh. Pankaj Jain, Secretary, MoPNG, and Sh. Prashant Kumar Singh, Secretary, MNRE.

NITI Aayog, in collaboration with the Ministry of Power and the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, launched the ASSET platform—Accelerating Sustainable Solutions for Energy Transition.  ASSET platform is a timely initiative to support states in accelerating their green transition. The platform will assist in formulating state energy transition blueprints along with aiding in its implementation, preparing a pipeline of bankable projects, showcasing best practices across states as well as upcoming technology and innovations in critical sectors like BESS, Green Hydrogen, Energy efficiency, e-mobility, offshore wind, etc.

The role of states is crucial in achieving India’s national aspirations of becoming Viksit Bharat by 2047 and achieving Net-zero GHG emissions by 2070. This requires sustained economic growth over the next two decades. States need to develop and implement energy transition plans that align with overall national goals. This involves three key steps: first, preparing comprehensive energy transition blueprints; second, developing investible projects and ensuring their effective implementation; and third, fostering innovation in emerging technologies.

Sh. Suman Bery, Vice Chairperson, NITI Aayog, highlighted the financial challenges in renewable energy expansion, calling for innovative funding mechanisms to sustain RE growth within private-sector-driven models.

Sh. BVR Subrahmanyam, CEO of NITI Aayog, stressed the need for cooperative federalism, noting ASSET’s role in providing states with the tools to develop viable, comprehensive green transition plans aligned with national goals.

Sh. RP Gupta, CMD, SECI, underscored SECI’s role in advancing renewable energy in India and transitioning away from fossil fuel sources. He emphasized the challenge of seasonal intermittency in renewable energy and the critical need to commercialize advanced long-term storage technologies.

Ms. Leena Nandan, Secretary, MoEF&CC, emphasized the significance of initiatives such as the LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) movement and ongoing efforts to expand the nation’s forest cover. She highlighted the impact of programs like “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam,” which has led to the planting of 99 crore saplings since its inception.

Sh. Pankaj Jain, Secretary, MoPNG, focused on the role of alternative clean fuels like ethanol, methanol, biogas, Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), and the utilization of waste for their production.

Sh. Pankaj Agarwal, Secretary, Ministry of Power outlined efforts to strengthen India’s energy infrastructure to meet peak demands, noting the growing reliance on hydro and RE-based storage solutions.

Sh. Prashant Kumar Singh, Secretary, MNRE, shared updates on the PLI scheme’s positive impact on solar PV manufacturing capacity, the success of PM-KUSUM in promoting rural solar deployment, and the importance of distributed solar initiatives under the PM Surya Ghar scheme, all contributing to India’s goal of reaching 500 GW of renewable energy.

The symposium consisted of 2 Best Practises Sessions with presentations from States, private firms, and think tanks.

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