NRDC

Renewable Energy
Growth and Access

To support India’s renewable energy targets, robust policies, creative finance mechanisms, and clean energy access are all needed. NRDC India has expertise on how to best advance clean energy policies, in alignment with the government’s objectives. Alongside that, NRDC India also works with stakeholders to study the opportunity for jobs in the renewable energy sector, develop finance solutions and enhance village energy access – which in turn improves lives for poor communities and helps in fighting climate change.

India Will Cut its Emission Intensity
by 33-35% of 2005 levels by 2030

India’s Installed RE Capacity (in Gigawatts) – Past, Present, and Future

Following India’s bold renewable energy targets announced at the Glasgow climate conference, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Government of India, has released a policy framework for developing and advancing Decentralized Renewable Energy Livelihood Applications. Decentralized renewable energy is often produced closer to the point of consumption and built as small-scale projects benefitting rural communities that do not have reliable access to the electricity grid. Growth in decentralized renewables will lead to a robust diversified green electricity grid and is key to meeting India’s non-fossil fuel electricity generation target of 500GW by 2030.

Renewable Energy Strategies

Advise government (at its specific request and interest), private sector and grassroots organizations to scale equitable clean energy and electric mobility programs in rural India.

Assist with developing clean energy jobs analysis.

Assist with developing innovative financing mechanisms to leverage private capital targeting underserved and emerging markets.

Renewable Energy Publications

India’s Expanding Clean Energy Workforce

Report | January, 2022

Employment Potential of Emerging Renewable Energy Technologies

Issue Brief | March, 2021

Creating Jobs and Income: How Solar Mini-Grids Are Making a Difference in Rural India

Case Study | March, 2021

It Takes a Village: Advancing Hariyali Clean Energy Solutions in Rural India...

Report | January, 2021

Powering Jobs Growth with Green Energy

Issue Brief | July, 2019

Powering Jobs With Green Energy

Fact Shee | September, 2019

Worth Their Salt: Building Skills and Improving Livelihoods of Women Salt Farmers in Gujarat through Clean Energy Solutions

Fact sheet | January, 2019

Prior to 2023, Indian experts worked as consultants with NRDC, and their work was thus hosted on NRDC’s website

Our Experts

Akanksha Golchha

Clean Energy Lead

Akanksha leads the vertical on energy access at NRDC India focusing on issues related to energy security, climate policy, finance, and green jobs. With over 6 years of experience, Akanksha has worked on cross-sectoral issues of renewable energy, energy access, climate mitigation and adaptation. Prior to joining NRDC, Akanksha worked with the Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation to design programs that facilitated distribution sector reforms and enhanced energy access in India. Akanksha has extensive experience in project management and execution involving policy & regulatory analysis, business model structuring, financial assessments, and stakeholder engagement in the climate change and sustainability domains. She is an avid researcher and has published in leading journals and digital magazines.

Charu Lata

Electric Mobility and
Clean Energy Lead

Charu Lata is the electric vehicles and clean energy lead in India. She works at the national and state level to advance electric mobility policies and help in the implementation of the same. Her focus has been on addressing barriers to accelerate the deployment of charging infrastructure across Indian cities. Charu’s work also focuses on improving access to clean and climate-friendly technologies in Indian villages with an aim to increase lives and livelihoods of rural households.

Ashish Jindal

Energy Efficiency
and Cooling Manager

Ashish Jindal is the lead for the Natural Resources Defense Council’s (NRDC) work on Energy Efficiency and Cooling in India. He is a sustainability and climate change professional with over 12 years of experience in the areas of energy efficiency, demand side management, demand response, electric mobility, Smart meters, Tri-generations, Renewables, Lighting, HVAC, and other Clean Energy Systems through large-scale implementation, policy, research, and consultancy assignments. He has worked at ADB, EESL, PwC, TERI and others on new clean energy interventions through research, policy advocacy, program design, financial modelling, technical frameworks, project preparation and business plan, roadmaps and implementation of national programs in India, South-East Asia and Middle-East region.