The Energy Transition Dialogues (TETD) Concludes Successfully With The Release Of TETD Communique

The three-day Energy Transition Dialogues (TETD) event, jointly organised by the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP) and the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), has come to an end with the release of the TETD Communique. The document, Blueprint for a People-Positive Energy Transition, will work as a guide and offer a roadmap to expedite a sustainable energy transition for India and the world. The document offers essential principles and an actionable plan that will help in the long run.

The TETD Communique is the result of extensive collaborative discussions led by GEAPP. These discussions revolved around six crucial aspects of energy action, which include boosting renewable energy and battery energy storage systems to achieve an annual capacity of 50 gigawatts, scaling up energy efficiency, utility modernisation, decarbonisation of transportation, fostering a people-positive energy transition, and promoting clean energy financing.

This comprehensive document not only outlines the main priority areas but also provides policy and regulatory recommendations to drive India's ambition of achieving net-zero emissions. It serves as a well-thought-out blueprint for ensuring reliable access to energy in the lead-up to COP28. The communique was released by Tarun Kapoor, Advisor, Prime Minister's Office, Government of India who stated, “Energy transition pathway is challenging but not very difficult. India is currently seeing exponential growth and demand for energy.

To ensure energy security, affordability and environmental protection, the country has to utilise renewables, green hydrogen and biofuels for a sustainable and clean energy future.” Building on the achievements and commitments established during India's G20 Presidency, notably through 'The New Delhi Declaration,' GEAPP is dedicated to supporting the government's vision of expediting a clean, sustainable, affordable, and inclusive energy transition.

The introduction of the Global Biofuels Alliance during the G20 conference in India underscores GEAPP's commitment to serving as a platform for global collaboration aimed at advancing and widely adopting biofuels. Ravi Venkatesan, Chairman, GEAPP said,

To solve systemic problems, we need a large number of problem solvers. GEAPP, through its various initiatives, is trying to create an ecosystem for entrepreneurs, innovators and MSMEs to increase the speed of change towards the growth of renewable energy solutions.

Extensive deliberations took place at The Energy Transition Dialogues, covering crucial topics such as collaborative avenues for promoting accessible energy, MDB reforms, India's growing prominence as an energy hub in the Indo-Pacific region, global collaborations for sustainable transportation, expanding the utilisation of wind and solar energy in developing nations, and the establishment of a global climate alliance to regulate pricing, trade, investment, and technology; fostering a seamless shift towards a cleaner energy future.

Several key dignitaries presided over the sessions including Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Government of India; Piyush Goyal, Minister of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, Jayant Sinha, Member of Parliament & Former Minister of State for Finance, Government of India, Amitabh Kant, G20 Sherpa, Government of India, and Professor Yemi Osinbajo SAN, Former Vice President of Nigeria. “The first edition of the Dialogues witnessed attendance from over 300 speakers and delegates who engaged in discussions and devised solutions to accelerate people-positive energy transition.

GEAPP is committed to strengthening coordination and capacity building across different sectors in the energy ecosystem”, said Saurabh Kumar, Vice President - India, GEAPP. Dr. V. Anantha Nageswaran, the Chief Economic Advisor (CEA) to the Government of India, extended congratulations to GEAPP and ORF for TETD.

He stated that the energy transition is a complex multi-decadal process for which we do not have a silver bullet solution. He emphasised that countries must take ownership of the climate problem and promote a collaborative atmosphere for embracing and actively engaging in climate action. During the event, GEAPP also felicitated the winners of the Energy Transitions Innovation Challenge (ENTICE), including AmpereHour Energy, REConnect Energy, VFlowTech and Cancrie.

ENTICE is GEAPP's annual initiative that aims to mainstream the role of innovation in addressing climate change challenges and support path-breaking clean energy solutions. The winners were presented awards by Amitabh Kant, G20 Sherpa of India. A comprehensive report on ‘Accelerating Battery Storage Adoption by DISCOMS in India' was also released during the event. This report is a result of the collective effort by GEAPP and RMI. This report addresses the pivotal role of energy storage, emphasising the critical importance of effectively integrating BESS assets at the distribution level to meet the evolving demands of our power system.