All sources of energy will coexist till renewables bypass others
Kolkata: The Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry; in association with Birla Institute of Technology Old Students Association –BITOSA, Kolkata Chapter; organised a Round Table Discussion on "Energy transition, Decarbonisation and Climate Change" on October 14, 2022 in Kolkata.
The discussion included topics such as Renewable Energy, Green Hydrogen, Advanced Battery and Fuel Cells.
Subir Chakraborty, President, The Bengal Chamber and Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, Exide Industries Limited said, "Sustainability comes with a cost which needs to be prioritized. Development is needed with sustainability."
As the pressures of climate change are posing more and more challenges to us, the need for decarbonisation is gaining importance. Decarbonising the energy system to emit almost no GHGs is vital for reducing the extent of global climate change. This process is known as 'the energy transition'. There are risks associated with energy transition. To address the same, there is a need for understanding the process. Focus is needed to balance the growing demands with sustainable approaches.
Sourav Daspatnaik, Managing Director, Swach Environment Pvt Ltd and Director, Haldia Water Services Pvt Ltd. & Nangloi Water Services Pvt Ltd, Chair UK India Smart Water Working Group said, "Based on the deliberations of the Round Table, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Report, the over- arching message is clear - Limiting warming to 1.5deg C is still within reach but requires immediate and drastic action."
A mix of different renewable energy -generation technologies will be crucial to eliminating greenhouse gas emission (GHG) from fossil fuel. Industrial Sectors must electrify and implement transition to alternative base materials like carbon , hydrogen and waste
materials. The future of Hydrogen and its derivatives will depend on the advancement of green and blue hydrogen. Electrification directly or indirectly via hydrogen is a huge opportunity for industry to cut emissions.
Derek M Shah, Senior Vice President, Head Green Manufacturing & Development, L&T Energy, Larsen and Toubro Ltd; who was the lead speaker, said "Globally there is a major shift of consumer preference for green components. In India, the energy demand will increase so fast, all the sources of energy will coexist for some time but renewable energy (RE) will go ahead. Green Hydrogen Economy would be the next big thing."
Ashim Kumar Goswami, Regional Executive Director, Eastern Region, NTPC Ltd, who was also present, said "Atmanirbhar Bharat would be a major facilitator for RE implementation. Manufacturing mechanisms and capacity for design are needed. Policies for competitive manufacturing and promoting RE investments will also help."
Vijay Burman, Chairman and Managing Director, Indo Bell Insulations Ltd & Managing Committee Member, BITMAA(BIT Mesra Alumni Association) & Past President, BITOSA Kolkata Chapter; Avik Roy, Director-Industrial, Exide Industries Limited; Neha Agrawal, Whole Time Director and Head Corporate Strategy - Business Planning & Control, Vikram Solar Limited took part in the discussion.
