India's focus on renewable sector to ensure energy security, combat climate change, says Prabhu

India's focus on renewable segments like solar, wind and hydro power will not only ensure energy security but also address environmental concerns, former union minister Suresh Prabhu said on Wednesday. So how do you generate energy is going to be determining to what extent you are compromising, whether or not, with climate security, environmental concerns.

India's focus on renewable segments like solar, wind, and hydropower will not only ensure energy security but also address environmental concerns, former union minister Suresh Prabhu said on Wednesday. "The energy and environment are the two sides of the same coin. So how do you generate energy is going to be determining to what extent you are compromising, whether or not, with climate security, environmental concerns. "Therefore let everybody together ensure that the greenhouse gases (emissions) are limited," Prabhu said.

He was addressing a webinar on energy security organized by the Global Counter-Terrorism Council. Prabhu further said India is very lucky to have a huge source of clean energy. "The cost (of power generation from renewables) will be probably lowest for the time being and the renewable energy, whether it is solar or wind... you can generate it as much as it is necessary," he added There are more than 300 days of sunshine in all parts of the country. Thus, solar energy can address India's energy security in a very significant way, he pointed out.

India has set an ambitious target of having 100 GW of solar energy capacity by 2022. "This (target) is for energy security, but also for climate change, and this is one area where we can improve the carbon intensity, the economy can improve the energy intensity of the economy by using more and more solar energy...," Prabhu said. He also spoke about another important global initiative by Prime Minister Narendra Modi -- the International Solar Alliance (ISA). Prabhu said ISA can help boost solar capacity globally. "We have to work on it (energy) during G20. This has become one of the major issues on board, put together with energy or climate or issues related to implementation. If we look 25 to 30 years from now, India would be more or less self-sufficient in a solar power way," said Prabhu, who is India's Sherpa to the G20.

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