Indian energy facts

We are one of the biggest economies of the world with second fastest rate of increase in GDP @7.1% in 2008. Even then, ironically, we account for a third of the world’s population with access to electricity. In spite of several initiative and policies by NGOs and government to support weaker section of the society, the situation has not changed to a rosy one, even after having about five ministries that have structurally handled the India energy sector one of them is Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. We are probably the only country in the world with a dedicated ministry for alternative power but we are nowhere in terms harvesting the potential we have. India ranks sixth in the world in terms of total energy consumption and urgently needs to accelerate development of the energy sector to meet its growth aspirations. Though rich in coal and abundantly endowed with renewable energy in the form of solar, wind, hydro and bio-energy, India has very small hydrocarbon reserves (0.4% of the world’s total). Being a net importer of energy, more than 35% of the country’s primary energy needs are ensured through import. Similar was the situation a few decades ago when we have to import food grains to meet domestic demand, but green revolution has changed all that and we are now among biggest exporters of the commodity that we imported, INDIA needs a second “GREEN REVOLUTION”, this time for energy.