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India’s policy commission, the National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayog) has released the latest version (V3.0) of the India Energy Security Scenarios 2047 (IESS 2047), aimed at evaluating the combined impact of different green energy policies implemented by the Indian government.
According to a press release, IESS, an open-source tool, encompasses various policies concerning alternative energy resources such as the PM Kusum Scheme, national missions on green hydrogen and energy storage, renewable purchase obligations, offshore wind strategies, the electric vehicle policy, energy efficiency projects. By evaluating the energy demand and supply across the nation, this tool analyses emissions, costs, land usage, and water requirements up to the year 2047.
The web version of the tool presents user-friendly graphical representations that depict energy demand and supply scenarios for the country. These representations are generated based on the choices made by the users.
This version of IESS has been designed with the purpose of accessibility and is easily downloadable for people to use. Users can generate their own pathways, allowing researchers and think tanks to develop customised scenarios based on various factors such as the share of industry, services, agriculture, population, the pace of urbanisation, and end-use energy demand. This flexibility empowers users to create specific applications tailored to their needs and requirements.
The release said that IESS 2047 is an interactive and user-friendly tool to help ministries and departments formulate diverse energy transition scenarios toward achieving net-zero targets. The tool’s flexibility enables the exploration of many permutations and combinations of net-zero pathways. By computing the country’s energy needs and estimates, it contributes to reducing India’s reliance on external agencies for such assessments.
The revamped IESS 2047 has been developed in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT-Bombay) and will be updated yearly. The baseline for the tool was standardised at 2020 and has been calibrated up to the year 2022. These periodic updates ensure that the tool remains relevant and incorporates the latest data and developments to provide accurate and up-to-date assessments.
The launch was attended by several representatives from NITI Aayog and other experts from academia, industry, and the government. Suman Bery, the Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog, appreciated the indigenisation of IESS 2047 and claimed the tool is a significant facilitator in realising India’s net-zero target by 2070.
BVR Subrahmanyam, the CEO of NITI Aayog, lauded IESS as a national asset and a remarkable showcase of the research and development endeavours being undertaken by NITI Aayog. He stressed the significance of striking a balance between justifiable growth aspirations and sustainability. Highlighting the importance of tools like IESS, he said that such data platforms are crucial for comprehensive planning and policy-making at both the national and state levels.
NITI Aayog has also launched the India Climate Energy Dashboard (ICED) 3.0. The ICED is the country’s one-stop platform for near real-time information on the energy sector, climate, and related economic datasets from various government sources.
Developed as a user-friendly platform, ICED 3.0 enables users to freely access and analyse datasets using an analytical engine. This enables users to gain valuable insights and a deeper understanding of the energy and climate sectors, while also identifying key challenges. The portal will draw insights from available data parameters and aid in monitoring the progress of India’s clean energy transition journey. The dashboard offers more than 500 parameters, over 2,000 infographics, and several interactive visualisations.