Distributed Renewable Energy Systems

A Strategy for India's Energy Security

Girijesh Pant

 About the Book

The study examines the composite facets of the Indian energy security debate, emphasizing the integral role of energy security in the transition processes by
strategizing renewables as a defining component in the global context. It situates Indian energy security, including renewables, within a broader framework. With renewables gaining prominence both globally and nationally, the study explores
the emerging and evolving profile of distributive renewable energy systems in the context of an inclusive energy regime.
Furthermore, it highlights the distinction between centralized and decentralized modes of distribution and transmission within grid architecture. A comparative analysis of the two systems indicates that technological transformation in the power sector could disrupt the centralized model. By the same logic, it could also trigger innovative processes to create alternative systems that ensure energy security. In this context, the study examines the roles of private players and the contributions of energy cooperatives in shaping the transition processes in terms of both direction and pace. Recognizing the interconnectedness of India’s transition within the global context, the study outlines the profile and nature of India’s international engagements in meeting its energy targets. A critical evaluation of India’s approach and initiatives leads the study to revisit the foundational debates on energy security and the models that could ensure it, relocating the discussion within the broader contexts of local empowerment, energy justice, and local entrepreneurship. The study concludes that the Gandhian concept of Gram Swaraj could provide a more appropriate framework for evaluating the dynamics of energy security.

About the Author/ Editors 

Girijesh Pant retired as a Professor at the Centre of West Asian Studies and as Dean of the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University. He has held several eminent positions, including Vice-Chancellor at both Doon University, Dehradun, and Guru
Ghasidas University in Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh. The Founder Dean of the Energy Studies Programme at SIS, JNU, Prof. Pant had the honour of being a National Fellow of the Indian Council of Social Science Research for a project on energy. He was also affiliated with Symbiosis International University, Pune, Maharashtra.An extensively traveled West Asia and energy expert,

Prof. Pant is a Fulbright Fellowship awardee and was affiliated with the University of Illinois. He also served as a member of the Academic Committee of the School of International and Area Studies, Tsinghua University, China. Prof. Pant is a recipient of the
Lifetime Achievement Award at Tirupati University. A prolific author, he has written on a wide range of issues, including emerging economies, developmental challenges in West Asia, and the political economy of energy transition. His numerous books and articles have
been published in national and international journals of repute.

Contents in Detail

Acknowledgement
Introduction
1. Global Energy Transition, Distributive Renewable Energy: Pathway to Energy Security.
2. Indian Energy Security Debate and Renewable Energy.
3. Distributive Renewable Energy in India: Profile and Policy.
4. Distributed Renewable Energy System in Strategizing Indian Sustainable Energy Security: The Role of Private Players.
5. Energy Cooperatives and Community Participation: Energy for All.
6. Leveraging Global Energy Engagement in Pursuit of Sustainable Energy Security.
7. “Energy Swaraj”, DRES, and India’s Search for Sustainable Energy Security.
8. Strategizing DRE in India’s Sustainable.