Ahead of the seven-phase elections to the Lok Sabha, India’s lower house of Parliament, starting April 17, 2024, the two major political parties in the fray have committed themselves to implementing a plethora of energy transition initiatives.

In their manifestos, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Opposition Indian National Congress have outlined their vision for adopting renewable energy to achieve energy independence.

The manifesto of the BJP, which has been governing India since 2014 and is seeking a third consecutive term, has detailed programs it plans to undertake on the renewable energy front.

The BJP has promised to ensure ‘energy independence’ by 2047 and reduce petroleum imports through a mix of electric mobility, a network of charging stations, renewable energy generation, and improved energy efficiency.

By implementing the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, the party said it will enable homes nationwide to run devices like electric stoves, fans, air conditioners, televisions and electric vehicle charging through solar energy.

In February, the Union Cabinet approved the program to install rooftop solar systems in 10 million households, with a total outlay of ₹750.21 billion (~$9.05 billion) until the financial year 2025-26.

“We will harness Bharat’s renewable energy potential, targeting 500 GW of renewable energy through the establishment of mega solar parks, wind parks, and the Green Energy Corridor project, among others,” the BJP has said.

Among other significant promises, the BJP wants to incentivize private sector investment in large-scale battery energy storage systems infrastructure to foster renewable energy integration, grid stability, and resilience.

Other key points from the BJP’s manifesto are:

• Increasing ethanol blending in petrol to mitigate environmental degradation while providing additional income to farmers
• Expanding green hydrogen production and developing technologies to make India a major green hydrogen production hub
• Establishing smart grids incorporating smart meters and control centres for efficient and intelligent energy management
• Setting up a centre of excellence for clean energy technologies, positioning the country as a global manufacturing hub for wind, solar and green hydrogen, and scaling bio-energy manufacturing facilities from all types of waste
• Accelerating the PM e-Bus Seva initiative by introducing e-buses in more cities

Congress to Mobilize Green Energy Capital

The Congress Party committed itself to mobilizing the massive capital required for India’s green energy transition and achieve the goal of net zero by 2070. The party plans to set up the Green Transition Fund of India together with state governments and the private sector.

“We will launch a Green New Deal Investment Program focused on renewable energy, sustainable infrastructure, and the creation of green jobs,” the party said.

A parliamentary committee had said India would need an annual investment of ₹1.5-₹2 trillion (~$19.72-~$26.29 billion) in the renewable energy sector until 2030, compared to the ₹750 billion (~$9.86 billion) estimated earlier.

The Congress said it would launch a major program to install solar panels connected to tube wells to generate energy and promote solar-powered engines for tapping groundwater for agriculture.

“We will promote green energy. We will implement renewable energy schemes that will make the panchayats or municipality self-sufficient in electricity as far as possible. We will promote solar-powered engines for tapping groundwater for agriculture,” the Congress manifesto said.

It also promised to incentivize panchayats to establish and maintain solar grids to generate power for common purposes and create jobs at the panchayat level.