India’s transition to renewable energy sources — solar, wind, and hydro — is making a huge environmental difference while saving the country billions of dollars.
The country just met its goal of getting 50% of its installed electricity capacity from renewable sources — five years earlier than the 2030 deadline set under the Paris Agreement, according to The Economic Times.
India is one of the world’s most polluted countries, with an average air quality index of 138 and a particulate matter concentration of “10.1 times the World Health Organization annual PM2.5 guideline value,” per IQAir.
A safe AQI is below 50, and prolonged exposure to high AQIs can cause a variety of health problems, including respiratory irritation, heart issues, lung disease, and cancer. Air pollution is estimated to cause seven million premature deaths each year, according to the World Health Organization.
Many human activities contribute to air pollution, but the primary source is the burning of dirty fuels. We rely heavily on fossil fuels — they’re used in transportation, heating, generating electricity, industrial production, and more. Our constant burning results in an enormous amount of planet-warming pollution that has a detrimental heating effect on the planet.
Not only are fossil fuels harmful, but they’re also finite. Based on current consumption rates, we may only have oil, coal, and gas for the next 30-70 years. Renewables are seen as the future, but it’s becoming increasingly clear that sustainable energy needs to be the present.
Switching to solar, wind, and hydropower would drastically reduce planet-warming gas emissions, prevent millions of illnesses and deaths, and save trillions of dollars.
Minister of New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi is extremely proud of India’s achievement and commitment to a greener future.
“This is a historic milestone,” Joshi said.
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