GigaWhat: Building the backbone

GigaWhat: Building the backbone

Author: Mongabay.com September 6, 2022 Duration: 17:43

We are all familiar with the buzzing sound under high-voltage power lines and transmission towers. The electricity passing through it is generated from coal power plants, solar parks, wind farms, dams and other sources. It passes through transmission networks and substations to eventually reach the end users.

Day by day, the share of renewable power entering this system is increasing. However, the solar and wind farms that are coming up or expanding to meet India's renewable energy goal are concentrated within a few states. India will need to upgrade and expand its transmission infrastructure to evacuate the power generated here and feed it into the national electricity grid to be distributed across all regions.

The transmission infrastructure in India needs two trillion rupees! But there isn't enough money flowing for the development.

Without adequate transmission systems in place, renewable energy plants can turn into stranded assets. And that's a fear for project developers and investors.

Listen to GigaWhat and explore some of the biggest questions, challenges, and opportunities in India's transition from fossil fuel to clean energy sources. Mongabay-India is an online publication dedicated to bringing you stories on science and the environment in India.

Read the full Clean energy series on our website

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Guests:

Balawant Joshi, Managing Director, Idam Infra

Deepak Krishnan, Associate Director, WRI India (Energy)

Links:
Financial Constraints in Renewable Energy Sector, Ministry of New And Renewable Energy

Power Map of India

Renewable Energy Industry in India, IBEF

Renewables Integration in India, IEA

Renewable Energy Management Centers

Credits:

Host: Mayank Aggarwal

Writer and producer: Kartik Chandramouli

Audio editor: Tejas Dayananda Sagar

Copy editor: Priyanka Shankar

Podcast production assistant: Ayushi Kothari

GigaWhat cover art: Pooja Gupta


From the team at Mongabay.com comes Everything Environment by Mongabay India, a podcast that digs into the complex and often overlooked stories shaping India's natural world. This isn't just about headlines; it's about connecting the dots between biodiversity, climate change, and the natural resources that underpin daily life across the subcontinent. Each episode is a deep dive, whether it's examining the real-world impacts of the country's clean energy transition, uncovering lessons from ancient paleoscience, or giving a voice to lesser-known species fighting for survival. The conversations move beyond abstract problems to focus on tangible solutions and the people on the front lines. By weaving science and news into compelling narrative, this podcast places environmental discussions exactly where they belong: central to our understanding of India's present and future. You'll hear clear analysis and on-the-ground reporting that makes intricate topics accessible, fostering a deeper appreciation for the interconnectedness of ecology, policy, and community. For anyone curious about the forces shaping our environment, this series offers essential listening.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 28

Everything Environment by Mongabay India
Podcast Episodes
Wild Frequencies #3: Us and Them [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:20
If we listen closely, a bird's call reflects what humans have done to its landscape, and a forest soundscape tells us about habitat health. Listen to the third episode of Wild Frequencies to learn how scientists use bioa…
Wild Frequencies #2: Know Them [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:10
Can we figure out animal behaviour by listening to the sounds they produce? In this episode, you'll hear from scientists who listen closely to wildlife ranging from large mammals to insects. Wild Frequencies is a three-p…
Wild Frequencies #1: Find Them [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:28
Most wild animals are not easy to spot. They are often hidden, camouflaged, or just not around when you are. But instead of trying to 'see' them, what if we try and 'listen' to them? After all, animals communicate. For s…
Trailer: Wild Frequencies [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:02
Animals communicate. And some researchers listen to what they are saying. Hosts Shreya Dasgupta and Kartik Chandramouli travelled to different parts of India and spoke to multiple scientists to hear stories of sounds fro…
Environomy #6: A Challenge Across Generations [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:34
In this sixth and final episode of Environomy, we will explore how India has dealt with issues related to biodiversity and climate change since the 1991 economic reforms. Since the national government has taken a strong…
Environomy #5: The One That Got Missed [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:37
Though farming contributes less than 20% of India's GDP, it provides livelihood support to nearly half of the country's population. It is an extremely challenging occupation, with many from the younger generation unwilli…
Environomy #4: India Buys A Fast Car [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:53
There are traffic jams on India's hill stations and mountain roads across the year. It wasn't always like this. Increased incomes of the Indian middle class after the 1991 economic reforms translated to improved mobility…
Environomy #3: Playing With The Pillars [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:04
The legislature, the executive, and the judiciary, form the three pillars of Indian democracy. The legislature consisting of the parliamentarians, and legislators are the policy makers who draw up acts and policies. The…
Environomy #2: They Came, They Rapped, They Lobbied [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:47
In the early 1990s, the anti-Tehri dam and anti-Narmada dam movements were India's most well-known environmental protests. It was not as if only environmental activists were involved with these movements. The development…
Environomy #1: The Middle Class Unbottled [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:48
How did the 1991 economic reforms impact the course of the Indian environment in the past three decades? Listen to Environomy's first episode, where we will look at how the Indian middle class acquired a distinct economi…