SME Times News Bureau | 30 Jan, 2020
Minister of
Petroleum and Natural Gas Dhamendra Pradhan has said that India will
continue to lead the global sustainable energy agenda.
Delivering the key
note address at the TERI’s World Sustainable Development Summit 2020 on
‘Energy Future Road Map’ here today, the
Minister said “We, in India, are in the midst of a major transformative shift
in our energy sector, both in scale and complexity and also the interdependence
across different systems. The trajectory to end energy poverty in India, as
compared to the rest of the world, is based on our special national
circumstances. The right mix of enablers are being put in place to ensure
that the energy transition is secure, affordable, reliable and sustainable.”
He added “to end energy poverty in the country,
we will remain cognizant of the need to root economic development firmly to
achieve the 2030 UN Sustainable Development Goals and commitments made at COP
21.”
Briefing about energy requirements, the Minister
said “India is now the third largest energy consumer after the US and China.
While our energy demand increased to 882 million tonnes of oil equivalent
(Mtoe) in 2017, the per capita consumption of energy is still 30% of the global
average. Our energy consumption is projected to grow at 4.2 percent per annum
up to 2035”.
India’s share of the total global primary energy
demand is set to roughly double to about 11 percent by 2040, driven by strong
economic development. In India, we are finding ways to achieve the twin
objectives of more energy availability and less carbon through a healthy mix of
all commercially-viable energy sources, he stated.
Pradhan added that despite our system-wide energy
transition measures, crude oil would continue to play a critical role at this
stage of development in meeting country’s energy requirements.
He said the Government has set out a road map for
reducing India's crude oil imports by 10% by 2022. “We are in the process of
developing new strategies and initiatives to achieve this target. We are
working towards transformation to a gas-based economy, tapping into
indigenously produced biofuels, apart from adopting renewable energy and energy
efficiency measures, to achieve the much-needed carbon reductions.
As part of the energy transition, decarbonisation of the energy sector is
picking up momentum in India” Pradhan said.
The Minister also stated that government is
working to improve energy efficiency and productivity, demand substitution,
improving refinery processes and promotion of bio and alternate fuels.
Dharmendra Pradhan also said “the biggest
game-changer in our drive to bring about greater environmental sustainability
and flexibility in the energy system is through the rapid deployment of natural
gas in our energy mix”.
He also added “we are advancing our collaboration
with countries, such as Brazil and the US, to improve blending technologies in
transport sector. To reduce vehicular pollution, BS VI quality fuel,
equivalent to Euro 6 standard, will be supplied in the entire country from 1
April this year. Given the abundance of biomass in the country, the use of
Compressed Bio-Gas (CBG) will be promoted in a big way in automotive,
industrial and commercial uses in the coming years.”
The Minister further said that in the global drive to secure
sustainable energy, India is defining new pathways keeping in view its unique
energy needs.
“India will continue to play an active role in leading the
global sustainable energy agenda. Our commitment to keep carbon footprint to
low levels remains unwavered as we pursue to enhance energy footprint in the
country” He added.