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In its Lok Sabha manifesto, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) unveiled a bold vision to achieve energy independence for India by 2047, coinciding with the nation’s goal of becoming a developed country. Central to this ambition is a comprehensive strategy aimed at reducing the country’s reliance on imported petroleum products.
With approximately 85 percent of India’s crude oil needs currently met through imports, the BJP proposes a multifaceted approach to diminish this dependence. This strategy includes promoting electric mobility, establishing a widespread network of charging stations, ramping up renewable energy production, and enhancing overall energy efficiency.
A key component of the plan involves enabling households across India to utilize solar energy for powering essential appliances such as electric stoves, fans, air conditioners, and televisions, as well as facilitating electric vehicle (EV) charging.
To kickstart this transition, the government recently announced the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, a rooftop solar scheme with an investment exceeding Rs 75,000 crores. This initiative aims to illuminate one crore households by providing up to 300 units of free electricity per month.
Furthermore, the BJP manifesto outlines additional measures to bolster India’s journey toward energy independence. These include increasing ethanol blending in fuel, expanding nuclear energy capabilities, establishing infrastructure for battery energy storage systems, and scaling up green hydrogen production.
Currently, 44 percent of India’s electricity generation capacity is derived from non-fossil fuel sources, a figure the BJP pledges to build upon in alignment with its “Panchamrit” agenda. This roadmap, initially committed to at COP26 in 2021, includes ambitious targets such as reaching 500 GW of non-fossil electricity capacity, generating half of all energy requirements from renewables, and reducing emissions by 1 billion tonnes by 2030. Ultimately, India aims to achieve net-zero emissions by 2070.
To facilitate these goals, the BJP promises to incentivize private sector investment in large-scale Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) infrastructure, enhancing renewable energy integration, grid stability, and overall energy resilience.
The launch of the National Green Hydrogen Mission in January 2023, with an initial outlay of Rs 19,744 crores, underscores the government’s commitment to spearheading the green hydrogen revolution. This mission is expected to catalyze the decarbonization of various sectors while reducing reliance on imported fossil fuels.
By prioritizing green hydrogen production, investing in technology development, and positioning India as a major hub for green hydrogen, the BJP aims to usher in a sustainable and reliable energy future for the nation.
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