Sustainable Energy Transition Dialogues in Rajasthan | Potential of Battery Energy Storage and Viability of Solarization of Agriculture sector
Rajasthan has emerged as a major player nationally in terms of its efforts to increase Renewable Energy (RE) generation. Rajasthan is among the leading RE rich states in India – with cumulative installed capacity of solar and wind at an impressive 18% of the national total RE installed capacity and 37% of the state's total installed capacity. Rajasthan receives the highest solar radiation in the country (5.72 kWh/m2/day) and has the highest number of clear sunny days (>325) in a year. As per solar energy policy 2019, the target of solar power is 30 GW by 2025. However, the state has an ambition to surpass this milestone. On the consumer side, the state has predominantly agrarian economy. Only 28% of the net cultivable area in the state is irrigated compared to the national average of 49.8% and ground water has deteriorated rapidly in the last two decades as per the Central Water Ground Board. With the advent of solar pumps, it has become imperative to investigate the water-energy-food nexus in Rajasthan to figure out an optimal governance regime regarding economic and ecological sustainability of the region.
In this context, Sustainable Energy Transition for Rajasthan (SET - RJ) initiative seeks to support Rajasthan in research and analysis that can help the state achieve its ambitious RE policies as a collaborative initiative between WRI India and partner organizations, including Bask Research Foundation, Customised Energy Solutions (CES), and CII - GBC.
We seek to share preliminary findings of our research on energy storage potential for Rajasthan and its role in Rajasthan’s clean energy ambitions. We also plan to share preliminary findings of our research on viability of solar pumps in the water-agriculture nexus. The workshop shall facilitate critical inputs from stakeholders and panel of experts on challenges and opportunities associated with energy storage and solar pumping and discuss pathways to accelerate its integration to support Rajasthan’s clean energy future.
SPEAKERS
- Ajitabh Sharma, IAS, Chairman, Rajasthan Tax Board, Govt. of Rajasthan
- A K Gupta, Advisor (Energy), Dept. of Energy, Government of Rajasthan (GoR)
- Himanshu Khurana, Director (Technical), Rajasthan Electricity Regulatory Commission (RERC)
- P S Saxena, Director (PT), Rajasthan Urja Vikas Nigam Limited (RUVNL)
- V A Kale, SE, P&P, Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Prasaran Nigam Limited (RVPNL)
- Umesh Gupta, ACE (PPM), SE - Regulations, Jaipur Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited (JVVNL)
- Harsh Thacker, Director, Customised Energy Solutions (CES)
- Dr. Sunanda Sinha, Assistant Professor, MNIT, Jaipur
- Pankaj Papnoi, Team Leader (WASH), Center for microFinance (CmF)
- Bharath Jairaj, Executive Director, Energy Program, WRI India
- Simran Grover, CEO, Bask Research Foundation
- Priyanka Goel, Research Associate, Bask Research Foundation
- Jyoti Sharma, Senior Project Associate, Energy Program, WRI India
- Anamika Dutt, Manager (PMEL), WRI India
- Harsha Meenawat, Senior Program Manager, Energy, WRI India
- Sandhya Sundararagavan, Lead, Energy Transition, WRI India (Moderator)
