India is rapidly expanding its solar power capacity, with plans to cover 280 square miles in the Rann of Kutch desert by 2029, making it the world's largest supplier of solar electricity. The shift towards solar energy is enabling India to industrialize without relying heavily on fossil fuels, with solar power projected to meet half of the country's electricity demand growth by 2030. Despite challenges in grid infrastructure and storage capacity, efforts are being made to reduce coal dependency and improve the transmission of solar power. India's focus on rapidly increasing renewable energy capacity, electrifying transportation, and transitioning towards a modern industrial economy by 2047 highlights a significant departure from traditional energy paths for economic development.
Tag: India
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Hyundai Motor Group Expands Pan-India Network to Accelerate Battery & Electrification Research
Hyundai Motor Group is expanding its Hyundai Center of Excellence (Hyundai CoE) in India to seven universities through four additional partnerships, advancing 39 joint research projects focused on battery and electrification technologies. The initiative aims to accelerate the development of India-specific EV technologies and strengthen the research and development ecosystem in India, solidifying the Hyundai CoE as a central pillar of fostering strong industry-academia partnerships that drive India's electrification transition. Key investment and research areas include battery cells, management systems, energy density, safety, durability, and diagnostic technologies, with projects focusing on battery design, material research, and an AI-powered Vehicle-to-Grid platform. The long-term goal is to evolve the Hyundai CoE into a comprehensive research hub supporting India's EV transition by fostering knowledge exchange, developing innovative EV solutions, and creating a vibrant research ecosystem benefiting India's automotive industry.
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India’s future climate resilience will depend on its ability to build a public healthcare system that recognises heat as a highly gendered disaster
Women's bodies respond differently to heat stress, with hormonal fluctuations, body composition, and metabolic rates making women more susceptible to dehydration and heat-related illnesses, especially pregnant women who face even greater risks. Studies in India show negative pregnancy outcomes increasing with rising temperatures, particularly in areas lacking cooling infrastructure and healthcare. Women are often seen as vulnerable to climate stress, but they are also crucial for adaptation and resilience efforts, with women-led groups and community networks already playing key roles in water management and health awareness. Integrating these networks into heat adaptation strategies can enhance community resilience and address the lack of policies addressing these issues in climate governance.
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Geothermal emerges as scalable energy source for India
A new study on geothermal energy in India highlights its potential to meet future power, industrial heat, and cooling demand. The technical potential for geothermal energy in India is estimated at 450GW of electricity generation, 1.5TW of cooling capacity, and 11TW of industrial heat. Geothermal systems could reduce pressure on India's electricity network and provide continuous baseload energy independent of weather conditions. The report emphasizes the opportunities for direct-use applications like industrial process heat and district cooling systems, which could reduce electricity consumption by 30-40%. Improved drilling technologies and policy support are improving the prospects for commercial-scale geothermal development in India.
https://www.power-technology.com/news/geothermal-emerges-as-scalable-energy-source-for-india/
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AmpereHour and IndiGrid start up 180MW BESS in Gujarat
AmpereHour Energy and IndiGrid have launched a 180MW/360MWh battery energy storage system in Gujarat, India, the largest standalone utility-scale BESS in the country and one of the largest in Asia. The project aims to store excess renewable energy to enhance grid stability and reduce energy curtailment, supporting India's goal of achieving 500GW of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030. AmpereHour provided technological support for the project, which was implemented under a build, own, and operate model, showcasing a significant step towards sustainable energy solutions in the region.
https://www.power-technology.com/news/amperehour-indigrid-start-180mw-360mwh-bess-gujarat/
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Health risks from climate change spur stronger public support for action, research finds
A study found that informing people about health risks linked to climate change is more effective in spurring public support for government-led climate action than messages focused on economic or environmental impacts. Over 80% of participants in a survey across Brazil, India, Japan, and South Africa expressed concern about climate change impacts and backed government measures to prevent public health impacts. The World Health Organization stated that humanitarian emergencies are increasing worldwide due to human-caused rising temperatures, with over a third of the global population exposed to climate threats. Communicating these risks to the public can inspire climate action, as health is a universal concern. Despite pledges to strengthen policies to cut carbon emissions and improve health sector resilience to climate impacts, health has not been a top priority at key climate meetings. Different countries had varying reactions to climate change messaging, with South Africans concerned about children's health and food/water insecurity, Brazilians focused on mental health impacts, and Japanese prioritizing extreme heat. In India, air pollution and access to healthcare were top concerns. Respondents across countries supported government action to address health impacts of climate change, with measures like building solar capacity and investing in air-conditioned public buildings being popular. Experts emphasized the urgency of implementing climate action to protect human health, calling for declaring climate change a global health emergency and scaling up climate-health investment. The article section discusses the importance of climate action as a high-return investment for a more just and resilient society. The Wellcome Trust's survey shows that the public supports stronger action on climate change, with a focus on health being an effective way to engage new audiences. The health angle is seen as a fresh approach to climate dialogue, as it is personal, relevant, and depolarizing. While economic messages still have a purpose, health messaging could be a "missing piece" in climate communications, providing a new way to talk about climate change that feels very relevant to people.
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German scientists explore whether solar power plants can induce rain in deserts
A research project led by the University of Hohenheim in Germany, funded by the UAE Research Program for Rain Enhancement Science, aims to assess the climatic impacts of large-scale photovoltaic installations in desert regions. The project will study how photovoltaic parks in coastal desert environments could potentially enhance rainfall by interacting with moisture-bearing sea breezes. The research will involve deploying high-resolution LiDAR systems and conducting measurements near large solar installations in the United Arab Emirates to determine optimal size, placement, and design parameters for maximizing their impact on precipitation formation. The project also explores integrating solar power generation with drought-resistant crops and water management strategies in arid regions. Disturbed atmospheric teleconnections could impact solar power generation in various regions including North Africa, Southern Europe, the Southern Arabian Peninsula, India, North Asia, and Eastern Australia.
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Solar farms can help to regenerate land while generating energy, new study finds
A new study analyzing 147 individual studies has shown that solar farms have regenerative effects on degraded land by reducing wind speeds, lowering surface and soil temperatures, and increasing soil moisture. Solar power was found to have positive impacts on the environment compared to fossil fuels, with solar farms significantly reducing wind speeds and albedo across different surface types. The majority of solar farms studied were located in arid climate conditions, with the largest number in China, the United States, and India. Solar farms were also found to significantly reduce soil temperature by 2.42°C and increase soil water content by 38.60%, particularly on cropland and grassland. These findings highlight the potential of solar farms to positively influence soil conditions in agricultural and grassland areas.
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Solar surge kept fossil electricity flat in 2025 as China and India made ‘historic’ shift
In 2025, a record surge in clean power met all global electricity demand growth, with solar leading the expansion by meeting around 75% of new electricity demand alone. This shift, largely driven by China and India, outpaced electricity demand growth and led to declines in fossil generation in both countries for the first time this century. The rise in clean generation slightly exceeded demand growth, pushing fossil generation down by 0.2%. UN Climate Change head Simon Stiell emphasized the risks of fossil fuel dependence amid disruptions in global oil and gas supplies due to the war in the Middle East, urging nations to accelerate the shift towards clean energy to enhance national security, economic stability, and reduce exposure to fossil fuel imports and costs. Stiell highlighted that clean energy is cheaper, safer, and faster-to-market compared to fossil fuels, which are causing chaos in volatile energy markets.
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Royal Enfield Launches The Flying Flea, Its First Electric Motorcycle
Royal Enfield has launched the Flying Flea C6, its first electric model, featuring a lightweight design, powerful motor, and lithium-ion battery with air-cooled thermal management. The company plans to introduce more electric two-wheelers with a city-by-city rollout strategy and offers a Battery-as-a-Service model to reduce upfront costs. The C6 includes advanced features like lean-angle sensing traction control, cornering ABS, a touchscreen, and wireless phone charging, catering to tech-forward urban commuters. With a commitment to craftsmanship and innovation, Royal Enfield aims to lead the premium electric two-wheeler segment in India and global markets, marking a shift towards sustainable urban mobility.