The world’s third-largest energy consumer, India is also a new growth champion. This very favourable economic situation is accompanied by growing energy needs to continue developing its industry and provide access for the millions of Indian households still without electricity.

India, which has few energy resources, therefore has to address several challenges, both in terms of high dependence on external supplies and in a global context of energy transition.

India doubled its energy consumption between 2000 and 2016, rising from 450 to 900 Mtoe (millions of tonnes of oil equivalent), but is still a long way behind China, where consumption is around 3,200 Mtoe. As 75% of electricity production is linked to coal, the country remains highly dependent on fossil fuels. However, the Indian government has embarked on the energy transition with an ambitious policy in the renewable energy sector that should represent 175 GW in 2022, including 100 GW for the solar sector, i.e. around 1.6 times the French nuclear base. It should be remembered that during the COP21 conference in Paris at the end of 2015, India and France initiated the launch of the ISA (International Solar Alliance), which brings together 121 countries with high potential for solar resources. By developing solar power, India wishes to reach the 300 million Indians who are not connected to the electricity grid, or about 20% of the population. These long- term investments require modernising and extending the electricity transmission and distribution networks, a major source of development for the Group’s products. Beyond that, the Indian government already has large-scale projects to electrify its vehicle fleet by 2030. An ambitious goal.

Source: IPF Energies nouvelles