Powering The Planet : The Advantages of Renewable Energy

15 Feb 2023

Right from an early age, we are taught the merits of renewable energy and its sources like wind, sun, water, etc. We all know it is good for our planet and its inhabitants. Yet, each day we hear about the adverse situation of the climate, the ever-increasing global warming and its negative effects around us.

Governments, think tanks, NGOs, and large corporations across the globe have taken cognisance of the fact that things can no longer continue the way they have been. If we wish to improve our quality of life, enjoy the bounty that our nature provides, and intend our future generations to inherit a liveable planet, then we need to act today!

As a result, the United Nations created a set of objectives known as the Sustainable Development Goals which also include an emphasis on ‘access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy’ for all citizens. India’s commitment to the cause has been unwavering in this regard and, in fact, has garnered widespread acclaim. Let us take a look at some of India’s key facts and achievements in this area.

Some Facts About Renewable Energy in India -

The Central Government has allocated ₹35,000 crore in the Union Budget 2023 for transition towards green energy and meeting our net-zero goal by 2070.
A National Green Hydrogen Mission has been formed with an annual production target of 5 MMT by 2030.
Gobardhan Scheme launched to create 500 new ‘waste to wealth’ plants.
India is ranked 3rd for total renewable power capacity additions and has the 4th largest installed capacity of wind power in the world.
Our country’s renewable energy capacity went up by 396% in under a decade.
India’s key interim energy and climate goals include:
- Raising the total renewable energy capacity to 500 GW (by 2030).
- Use renewable energy to meet 50% of the national energy requirement.
- A drop in cumulative emissions by 1 Bn tonnes (by 2030).
- Reduce the total emissions intensity by 45% of the national GDP (by 2030).

Advantages of Renewable Energy:
Here are some of the commonly known benefits of renewable energy while some others may be new to you. Let us look at the environmental and health benefits first.

Sustainability : As the name suggests, renewable energy sources don’t deplete like fossil fuels such as coal and petroleum products. Instead, they are sustainable, mostly naturally occurring, and reusable for a long time.
Eco-friendly : Not only are they reusable, but they are also good for Mother Earth. Renewable energy sources emit nil or minimal greenhouse gases. This is in stark contrast to fossil fuels that are playing havoc with the environment.
Health-friendly : Well, not only is renewable energy good for the environment, it is good for all of us too. We have been witnessing unprecedented levels of pollution in our country with several cities regularly rated as poor to severe in the Air Quality Index (AQI). Using cleaner sources of energy will greatly reduce the prevalent air and water pollution and lead to improved public health.

The Economic and Social Advantages of Renewable Energy:

Self-Reliance : India is the 3rd largest consumer of energy in the world. This comes with a significant expense in importing energy sources like crude oil, etc. By enhancing our renewable energy generation abilities, we can reduce our dependence on foreign energy sources. In fact, our government’s ambition is to make India a renewable energy exporter thereby improving our GDP as well.
Cost efficiency : With recent innovations, renewable energy infrastructure and technology has become more cost effective than traditional fossil fuels. With continuous efforts in this direction, we can hope to get access to clean and affordable energy across the nation.
Source of employment : The energy sector is a large one, employing hundreds of thousands of Indians in areas such as manufacturing, installation, distribution, and maintenance. More growth in the renewable energy segment will surely create new job opportunities and add to the purchasing power of the employed people.

As you can see, renewable energy provides a clean, sustainable, and affordable source of power that has the potential to benefit the planet, the people, and the economy.