Bhatt, Yagyavalk

Renewable Energy Deployment to Stimulate Energy Transition in the Gulf Cooperation Council

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region plays a vital role in shaping the global energy markets because of its substantial amount of hydrocarbons resources. Although the GCC has abundant hydrocarbon resources, countries in the region have also shown their commitment and intent to become the global leaders in alternate energy, especially, renewable energy through their “Visions and Laws”. Further, All the countries in the Middle East have also set targets for the deployment of renewable energy at the federal or local level. Read Full Book Chapter Here

13th February 2021

Barriers to and Opportunities for Light-Duty Vehicle Electrification in India: Insights From a Survey of Experts

According to the World Health Organization, India has the world’s worst air quality. Among other factors, vehicular pollution from the increasing stock of passenger vehicles has contributed to India’s deteriorating air quality. This increasing stock is also a factor in India becoming the third-highest oil-consuming and greenhouse gas (GHG)-emitting country worldwide.

5th October 2021

India’s Automotive Fuel Policies: Evolution and Challenges

India, like many other countries, is seeking to diversify its automotive fuel mix away from conventional petroleum fuels to alternate, cleaner fuels. The primary reasons for its diversification are energy security and public health due to harmful emissions from automotive fuels. At present, in India, diesel and gasoline are the most common automobile fuels. Increasing demand for these fuels could create serious concerns for the country’s national energy security and air quality. This paper analyzes the government of India’s past and present automotive fuel policy interventions, aimed at both mitigating harmful emissions and addressing the growing concerns of energy security and rising crude oil imports.

6th November 2019

Political Feasibility of Enhancing India’s Midcentury Target for Emissions Intensity

India’s greenhouse gas emissions have grown along with its rapid economic growth, making it the world’s third-largest emitter after China and the United States. Under the Paris Agreement, India has committed to reduce its emissions intensity relative to its GDP by 33-35% by 2030, compared with its 2005 level. In this study, we assess the evolving political will to enhance India’s stated commitment to combat climate change.

18th September 2019

Oman Electricity Sector: Features, Challenges and Opportunities for Market Integration

This discussion paper is part of a KAPSARC research project initiated to develop insights that can facilitate the creation of a well-functioning integrated electricity market comprising the member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). The project identifies and examines the key issues affecting electricity market integration within the GCC and the wider Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and suggests the enablers needed to facilitate market integration. This report focuses on Oman’s electricity sector, the liberalization of which started in 2004. The country’s power reforms are now poised to move to the next level, with the aim of creating a more competitive electricity industry in the Sultanate. Key features of Oman’s electricity market, challenges, and opportunities for market integration identified in the paper include: Nearly one quarter of Oman’s domestic natural gas production is used to power electricity generation and water desalination plants. The government’s National Energy Strategy 2040 seeks to ensure the country’s long-term energy sustainability, in part through targeting that at least 10% of electricity output comes from renewables by 2025. The private sector now owns 100% of generation capacity in Oman’s main interconnected system (MIS), and efforts have started to privatize other transmission and distribution firms. Regulatory oversight through a financially and administratively independent regulator with an adequate mandate, the Authority for Electricity Regulation, has played a key role in improving the sector’s performance and has created confidence among new industry players. In future, Oman’s gas network may be included in the regulator’s remit. Oman intends to implement a new arrangement for the future procurement of electricity through the spot market by 2020.

29th May 2019

The Impacts of Industrialization on Freight Movement in China

China’s rapid economic growth has enabled the fast development of freight transport across the country. What might the impact of future economic growth be on freight movement in China? To answer this question, this paper establishes the link between key indicators of industrialization and freight transport through the use of a dynamic vector autoregressive model. Based on the analysis of two different scenarios, the study finds that: China’s freight turnover could double out to 2030 if the country remains at the later stages of industrialization. China could reduce the volume of its freight transport by transforming its process of industrialization through coordinated urban planning, new materials, developing high-tech industries and expanding the service sector. Together, these measures could see freight transport drop by 2.6 trillion tonne-kilometer, 6% less than under the business-as-usual model. Changes to the country’s economic structure may also lead to structural changes in modes of freight transportation, including an increased share for rail, the growing use of automotive transportation, and the increased use of containers in an integrated freight transport system.

9th May 2019

India’s Balancing Act to Address Climate Change Under the Paris Agreement

As an emerging economy, a major part of India’s nationally determined contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement is an emissions intensity target. With its current policies, India is on track to achieve its climate targets under the Agreement. However, the Indian government is balancing a complicated set of domestic priorities and constraints against its wish to be seen as a global leader on climate change. This paper, based on field research in India, outlines the key findings from a set of interviews regarding the implementation and enhancement of India’s NDC: Coal is still the cheapest source of baseload electricity in India and will continue to be its main fuel source for electricity. India is constrained in its ability to prioritize climate change objectives by the need to expand energy access and for low-cost energy. India would like to be seen as a leader on climate change, particularly when compared to other emerging economies such as China, whose targets are treated as a benchmark. This wish is balanced against its need to continue its economic expansion. India tends to take a conservative approach to international commitments. The Prime Minister of India has the final say on climate policy matters, but consults with and is advised by a small number of actors in his Council on Climate Change. Think tanks play a major supporting role in climate policymaking.

12th December 2018

Abu Dhabi Electricity Sector – Features, Challenges and Opportunities for Market Integration

The emirate of Abu Dhabi was the first in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to design and implement reforms aimed at moving away from a wholly government-owned vertically-integrated electricity market structure. From 1998, Abu Dhabi introduced several policy, legislative, structural and institutional reforms to its electricity sector and the related water desalination industry. This analysis discusses reform initiatives, restructuring activities and key market players as well as the challenges and opportunities associated with increased participation in regional electricity trading. Key features of the emirate’s electricity market and challenges and opportunities associated with cross-border electricity trading include: Maintaining economically competitive self-sufficiency in power. Reducing the cost of electricity procurement by using regional interconnections is thus an emerging driver for market integration. With lower peak demand growth projections and the commissioning of a 5.6 gigawatt nuclear power plant, Abu Dhabi’s electricity sector is likely to produce larger power surpluses, encouraging cross-border electricity trading opportunities. The current single-buyer model provides limited ‘implicit’ competition in the procurement of bulk supply. There is little or no pressure on power generators to compete with others in day-to-day operations. Power trading prospects are also hampered by the lack of volume- and time-specific marginal costs. Abu Dhabi’s electricity and water producers do not receive explicit fuel subsidies. However, electricity tariffs are still heavily subsidized for many residential consumers. Abu Dhabi is exploring several options to further liberalize its electricity market. Electricity trading is likely to be recognized as a separate licensed activity, which is expected to give fresh impetus to electricity trading within Abu Dhabi, across the United Arab Emirates and throughout the Gulf region. The paper is part of a KAPSARC research project to develop insights that can facilitate the creation of a well-functioning integrated electricity market among members of the GCC and wider Middle East and North Africa region and to suggest potential enablers that could help to fill existing knowledge gaps for policymakers in the region and to facilitate ongoing efforts toward regional electricity market integration.

3rd March 2019

Share of Road Transport and the Consumption of Diesel and Petrol in India

As of 2015, India had approximately 230 million registered vehicles. Over 70% of India’s registered vehicles are two-wheelers. In 2013, India had 132.55 million registered two-wheelers and 25 million registered cars. According to India’s Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, the transport sector accounts for 70% of all retail diesel sales and 95% of all retail petrol sales.

6th January 2021

India’s Crude Oil Imports From the Middle East

India’s oil imports have risen significantly since the 1990s, when it imported fewer than one million barrels of oil per day.

11th February 2020

The Growth of India’s Electricity Generation Capacity

Coal power plants accounted for 57% of India’s total generation capacity of 344 gigawatts (GW).

26th December 2019

India’s Rising Imports of LNG

In 2017, India imported 20 million metric tons (MMmt) of liquefied natural gas (LNG), making it the world’s fourth-largest importer behind Japan, China and South Korea.

15th December 2019

India’s Transport CO2 Emissions and Value Added Contribution

India is one of the largest economies in the world and, consequently, holds an important position in global climate politics. According to India’s Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the country has some 230 million vehicles. This insight sheds light on the contribution of the transportation sector to India’s total value added (VA) and the sector’s rising carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.

5th December 2019

India’s Increasing Imports of Crude Oil

Surging global benchmark crude oil rates, tied with a depreciating Indian rupee against the United States dollar (US$) and India’s increasing dependence on crude oil imports, are likely to push India’s crude oil import bill higher. This insight sheds light on the historical trends of the Indian basket and the value of India’s crude oil imports.

18th September 2019

India’s Long-Term Low-Carbon Development Strategy: The Decarbonization of its Road Transport Sector

India submitted its long-term low-emissions development strategy (LT-LEDS) to the 27th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 27) on November 14, 2022 in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. The strategy sets out a detailed roadmap of India’s commitment toward climate change mitigation efforts and energy security.

5th March 2023

Indiaʼs Updated NDC: A Pathway to Net-Zero by 2070?

The meeting of the Union Cabinet of India on August 3, 2022, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved India’s updated nationally determined contribution (NDC). The NDC aims to enhance India’s contribution toward a global response to climate change. This update came in the aftermath of the prime minister’s pledge at the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 26), held in Glasgow, United Kingdom, in 2021, to reach net-zero emissions by 2070. During the conference, Prime Minister Modi went on to announce four supporting initiatives toward India’s net-zero commitment. These include increasing the country’s non-fossil energy capacity to 500 gigawatts (GW) by 2030, having 50% of its energy requirements met by renewable energy by 2030, reducing its carbon emission by one billion tonnes by 2030, and reducing the carbon intensity of its gross domestic product (GDP) by 45% by 2030. Two of these commitments have now been incorporated in the updated NDC.

16th October 2022

India’s Ambition to Achieve Net-Zero Emissions by 2070: Uncertainty and Opportunity

The special report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) on the impacts of global warming of 1.5 degrees Celsius (°C) above pre-industrial levels highlighted the importance of achieving net-zero emissions or a carbon-neutral future. There has subsequently been growing international pressure for net-zero commitments, with major emitting countries such as China and the United States (U.S.) announcing their targets of net-zero by 2060 and net-zero by 2050, respectively. Indeed, even major hydrocarbon producers, such as Saudi Arabia (net-zero by 2060) have joined the growing body of support.

29th December 2021

The Impact of the Coronavirus Lockdown on the Electricity Sectors in Saudi Arabia and India

Currently, an estimated third of the global population is under some form of government-imposed lockdown measure aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19. These lockdown measures have had various negative economic effects and could decrease electricity demand (Business Insider 2020). This insight compares the effects of Saudi Arabia’s and India’s COVID-19 lockdowns on their respective electricity sectors.

5th July 2020

India’s Oil Imports: Achilles’ Heel or Economic Javelin?

Presenting India’s 2019 budget on July 5, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman sketched out the Modi government’s vision of becoming a $5 trillion economy by 2024, almost doubling the country’s current gross domestic product (GDP) of $2.73 trillion. To achieve this ambitious goal, India plans to liberalize foreign direct investment (FDI) rules and tap international bond markets to fund its budget deficit. The latter is a risky enterprise and ensures exchange rate policy becomes a future battleground. However, India’s economic growth has been slowing over the past two quarters, and the government has limited options to raise funds domestically, forcing it to look at external foreign currency borrowing. The government is betting that external borrowing combined with FDI inflows will lead to greater domestic investment and thus higher growth.

21st August 2019

Regional Energy Cooperation: Opportunities to Enhance the Saudi-India Relationship

Saudi Arabia and India, two of the fastest growing economies globally, play important roles in South Asia and the Middle East, respectively. Saudi-India relations have started to acquire a strategic dimension owing to the countries’ growing business opportunities, rising investment and close cooperation on security. In particular, India sees Saudi Arabia as a valued partner for its energy security and investment requirements, while Saudi Arabia sees India’s constantly growing energy market as an investment opportunity. Therefore, the energy collaboration between Saudi Arabia and India, both G20 member countries, is expected to prosper in the future.

9th April 2023

Insights from India’s Journey to Over 100 Gigawatts of Renewable Energy

This commentary analyzes the key industry developments, policy and regulatory features, prevailing circumstances and challenges related to renewable energy (RE) in India. It also highlights learnings for other countries. As electricity is a concurrent subject as per the Indian Constitution, its policies, planning and development are jointly governed by central and state authorities. Some Indian states realized the importance of RE technologies (RETs) in the mid-1990s and began taking advantage of these constitutional provisions. By taking the lead in promoting RETs, these states initiated India’s RE deployment journey.

7th December 2022

India’s Political Ambition of Implementing Plug-In Electric Vehicle Sales Targets

The Indian transportation sector is going through a massive transition, especially the light-duty vehicle (LDV) sector. Policymakers consider the electrification of road transport to be one of the ways of solving India’s triple problem of increasing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, rising oil imports, and increasing urban air pollution. Several government ministries and departments have been involved in supporting the transition of the transport sector.

26th April 2021

What Policy Levers Could Address Indiaʼs Automobile-Related Externalities?

The Indian government has shown a growing recognition of the need for policy instruments aimed at addressing increasing air pollution, oil imports, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with India’s light-duty vehicle (LDV) sector. Based on the findings of a survey of Indian passenger vehicle ecosystem experts, this commentary aims to understand the potential central and state policy levers that could be used to address these three issues.

12th April 2021

India’s Future Commitments to the Paris Agreement: A Conflict Between Energy Security and Economic Growth

From 2-15 December, 2018, almost 200 countries gathered at the 2018 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Katowice, Poland to adopt a set of guidelines to limit global warming. During this event, India reaffirmed its promise to implement the Paris Agreement, collectively with other countries. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, India has increased the pace of its climate change mitigation efforts and is becoming increasingly ambitious in its attempts to address this issue.

1st January 2020

Enablers and Disablers to Plug-in Electric Vehicle Adoption in India: Insights from a Survey of Experts

Science Direct

2021

A Cost-Effective Pathway to a Low-Emissions Transportation Future

T20

2020

Yagyavalk Bhatt

Research Lead

Biography

Publications