Cope up with rising energy demand, a combination of increased renewable energy generation, enhanced energy efficiency, and improved grid flexibility and infrastructure is crucial.
Cope up with rising energy demand, a combination of increased renewable energy generation, enhanced energy efficiency, and improved grid flexibility and infrastructure is crucial.
Key strategies and solutions at various levels include:
Supply-Side Solutions
Ramp up Renewable Energy (RE) Generation: -
Transitioning the energy mix to prioritize sources like solar, wind, and hydropower is a primary solution. Many countries have set ambitious targets, such as India's goal of 500 GW of non-fossil capacity by 2030.
Invest in Energy Storage: -
To manage the intermittency of renewables, substantial investment in energy storage systems (like battery energy storage systems and pumped hydro storage) is necessary to ensure reliable supply.
Modernize and Expand Grid Infrastructure: -
Aging and insufficient transmission and distribution grids must be upgraded and expanded to handle the increased load and integrate diverse energy sources efficiently.
Promote Nuclear Energy:-
Investing in nuclear energy infrastructure is another strategy to provide a stable, low-carbon power source.
Ensure the Reliability of Existing Assets: -
Effective maintenance of existing power plants (including flexible operation of thermal plants) is essential to meet demand reliably and provide necessary grid stability.
Demand-Side Management (DSM)
Improve Energy Efficiency: -
Implementing energy efficiency measures in residential, commercial, industrial, and transport sectors can significantly reduce overall demand. Examples include using LED lighting, better insulation in buildings, and more efficient appliances.
Harness Demand Flexibility: -
Encourage consumers to shift their energy usage to off-peak hours (e.g., charging electric vehicles overnight or running appliances during the day when solar power is abundant) through pricing signals or incentives. This can be managed through smart energy control systems and virtual power plants (VPPs) that aggregate small, dispersed energy resources.
Promote Sustainable Transport: -
Encouraging the use of public transport and the adoption of electric vehicles can help reduce the demand for petroleum products.
Policy and Investment Frameworks
Establish Supportive Policies and Regulations: -
Governments need to create stable, long-term policies and regulatory frameworks that incentivize investment in clean energy, efficiency, and infrastructure upgrades.
Increase Investment: -
Annual investment in electricity generation, particularly from the private sector, needs to more than double in developing economies to meet future needs.
Integrate Climate Considerations into Planning: -
Energy planning should incorporate the impacts of climate change, such as increased demand for cooling during heatwaves, to ensure system resilience.
By combining these approaches, countries can work towards meeting the growing global energy demand while transitioning to a sustainable, reliable, and affordable energy system.
“With economic growth, the demand for power in India is only ...
At the national/state level, it will be important for countries to shift to renewable energy sources in their energy mix in order to reduce demand competition .
of June 2025, India's total installed electricity generation capacity is 476 GW, with demand projected to reach 277.2 GW peak and 1907.8 billion units (BU) energy requirement in 2026-27.
The country has seen a significant drop in power shortages to 0.1% in 2024–25 and a rise in per capita consumption. Non-fossil fuel sources now account for 49% (235.7 GW) of the total capacity.
MJF Lion ER YK Sharma
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