Photo: Matt Futch, Utilities Program Manager with the Governor’s Energy Office, discusses smart grid applications across the state with a panel of energy officials from Colorado and India.
On May 16, Colorado Cleantech Industry Association co-hosted an Indian delegation visiting Colorado to gather ideas and share their vision for the energy investment opportunities in India.
With a population of 1.2 billion and a growing middle class, the energy demands in India are skyrocketing. India is expected to overtake China as the world’s most populous nation by 2030. Unlike much of the energy development going on in China, India is looking to private sector engagement for development in order to meet their growing energy demands.
And their energy demands are fierce. While we talk about utility-grade demand in megawatt hours, they talk about their demand in quadrillion BTUs, or QUADs. India is expected to add 40-80 QUADs of energy in the next 20 years. To put it in laymen’s terms, the energy in 1 QUAD is contained in 8 billion gallons of gasoline, or a year’s supply of gas for 10 million automobiles. India’s energy supply is expected to increase 105 percent just in the next five years.
“We have 400 million households without access to any electricity,” said Shaski Shekhar, Joint Secretary in the Indian Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. “That is the biggest challenge. This means that off-grid applications of renewable energy are key. A number of studies have proven that renewable energy can take care of this demand in a more affordable and sustainable matter. Technology and its continuous operation are the keys.”
Opportunities for Clean Energy Technology Development from Colorado
One of the key components of India’s plan for energy development includes the development of smart grid software and hardware for India’s population centers.
“There’s still a lot of room for innovative ideas,” said Tom Binet, director of trade and investment, Asia-Pacific, Office of Economic Development and International Trade with the State of Colorado. “Colorado companies have a great deal more experience in smart grid than any other place in the world and we can offer lessons learned.”
What do you see as the marketplace for Colorado companies to develop new renewable and smart grid technologies?
We're having a conference next week on this very topic:
ReplyDeleteClean Tech India Conference will be held over a two day period on Oct 27th and 28th in Irvine, CA. This event is designed to offer participants the opportunity to present technologies, exchange ideas, network and gain insights on doing business in renewable energy as India sets to deploy $1T into this market. Panelists and speakers from exciting US companies and researchers will be showcasing their technology. Attendees will be given a unique chance to meet and collaborate with Indian and US industrial leaders and investors.
Register at http://cleantechindiaconference.eventbrite.com/