New Delhi: India can improve energy access without relying heavily on donations for specific projects. Instead, experts can help create model projects that attract private investments and make the energy system work better. Rajiv Shah, the President of the Rockefeller Foundation, shared these views. His organization is part of the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP), which is involved in several projects across India to boost efficiency and encourage new ideas.
Shah emphasized that India’s energy projects should be commercially viable, as this is essential for scaling up energy access. Saurabh Kumar, Vice President of GEAPP in India, explained that changing the overall system is more important than just how much money is spent.
One of GEAPP’s projects aims to digitize the electricity distribution in Rajasthan, meaning they will create a digital map of every asset in the electricity company, which could help reduce wasted energy. The focus is also on using more distributed renewable energy solutions to address issues like peak power shortages. The government’s rooftop solar program is becoming popular, and GEAPP is also promoting electric vehicles (EVs) and battery energy storage solutions.
Recently, GEAPP partnered with the International Solar Alliance (ISA) to create a fund that will raise $100 million to support impactful solar energy projects.
Leave a Reply