New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said sustainable growth is only possible through sustainable energy and stressed that India sees its commitments to reduce net carbon emission as an opportunity rather than a challenge. Addressing a webinar on ‘Energy for Sustainable Growth’, the ninth in a series of post-budget webinars, the Prime Minister said that ‘Energy for Sustainable Growth’ not only resonates with the Indian tradition but is a pathway to achieve future needs and aspirations. “Sustainable growth is possible only through sustainable energy sources,” Modi said. He reiterated his commitment made at Glasgow and his vision of life pertaining to an environmentally sustainable lifestyle. “India is providing leadership in the global collaborations like International Solar Alliance,” he said. Modi also talked of the target of achieving 500 gigawatt non-fossil energy capacity and achieving 50 per cent of installed energy capacity through non-fossil energy by 2030. “Whatever targets India has set for itself, I do not see them as a challenges but as opportunity. India is moving with this vision in last few years and the same has been taken forward at policy level in this year’s budget.” He said India has announced 19.5 thousand crore for high-efficiency solar module manufacturing which will help in making India a global hub for manufacturing and R&D of solar modules and related products. He added that India can become hub of green hydrogen given its inherent advantage in the form of abundant renewable energy power. He asked for private sector efforts in the area. The Prime Minister emphasized that along with energy production, energy saving was equally important for sustainability. “You should work on how to make more energy efficient a/c, efficient heaters, geysers and ovens in our country.” He said the use of LED bulks had led to a saving of 48,000 million KW of electricity and saving of about Rs 20,000 rupees in the electricity bills. He mentioned ethanol blending, and the ‘Gobardhan Plant’ which was recently inaugurated in Indore. The Prime Minister said the private sector can establish 500 or 1,000 such plants in the country over next two years. UNI AO MR
