"Need for an Integrated Energy Modelling Institution in India"

Magazine or Newspaper Article, Economic and Political Weekly, volume 43, issue 21, pages 64-69

May 24, 2008

Authors: Ananth Chikkatur, Former Associate, Energy Technology Innovation Policy research group, Shoibal Chakravarty

Belfer Center Programs or Projects: Energy Technology Innovation Policy; Environment and Natural Resources; Science, Technology, and Public Policy

ABSTRACT

Meeting India's several interlinked energy-related challenges requires long-term planning and coordinated action by various stakeholders. As highlighted by the recent Integrated Energy Policy report, such planning and formulation of new energy policies and strategies requires more comprehensive modelling of India's future energy demand and assessment of available resources. Furthermore, as international efforts to deal with climate-change gain momentum, India should have the capacity to independently assess and validate the impacts of various mitigation options, and devise its own strategic approach to climate change negotiations. Therefore we propose the creation of a government-supported statutory energy modelling institution -- Bureau of Energy Information and Analysis (BEIA) -- that works under the guidance of the Planning Commission to develop in-house modelling and analysis capacity for India. Nearly all data, products, models, and analyses should be public and subject to the Right-to-Information Act. While being careful not to centralize or control energy modelling activities, the BEIA can coordinate and link existing modelling activities in the government, academia, think tanks and private sector. Such an institutional approach will strengthen India's existing energy modelling efforts and help create a community of committed energy specialists, whose talents can be drawn upon to help meet India's complex energy challenges.

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