The Drive to The Future with E-Mobility - Building India’s EV Charging Infrastructure through Clean Energy

The world is witnessing rapid and erratic climate changes, and governments, businesses, and investors around the globe are rallying forces to curb the long-term impact of climate change. The world no longer pits economic growth against environmental development. In fact, economic growth in consideration of environmental development is the only way forward. The transportation sector which primarily runs on fossil fuels accounts for 23% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and in India, transport-related emissions are expected to skyrocket by 2050, further accelerating the issue of climate change. E-mobility has been touted as one of the best solutions for combatting the dual challenge of economic and climate crises, and world governments are actively pushing the transition to EVs across public and personal mobility. The shift to EVs will set the course to decarbonise the transport sector, build energy security, and cement climate change commitments.

In India, the government has set its net zero goal of reducing 1 billion tonnes of carbon emissions by 2030, by replacing 70 percent of commercial vehicles, 40 percent of buses and 30 percent of private cars, with EVs. But to support this idea further, a neatly laid roadmap offering affordable and accessible charging facilities is an absolute prerequisite. A well-developed and well-accessible charging station is a must for electric vehicles to function smoothly. And then, on the other hand, there is also a shared concern regarding the flexibility of the grid. A joint study by Assocham and EY highlights that the overall power demand from EVs in India is projected to reach 69.6 terawatt hours by 2030. The existing power distribution grid in the country is equipped to meet most of this demand but more than half of this demand is currently being met by coalfired power plants. This could in-turn increase overall transport related emissions in the country, thereby defeating the purpose of transitioning to EVs. The shift to e-mobility requires critical interventions at two levels - a) building out the charging infrastructure at an accelerated pace and b) enabling EV charging through renewable energy.
 

To expedite the installation of charging infrastructure across the country, the Ministry of Power has issued a set of guidelines and standards which emphasizes the key responsibilities of various stakeholders at the Central & State levels. Additionally, through the provision of capital subsidy, the Government is looking to fasten the deployment of EV charging stations through FAME II and state-level initiatives. Further, the government has de-licenced the activity of setting up EV charging stations to increase private sector investments and facilitate market adoption. In fact, 20 states in India have set up their draft or final state-level electric vehicle policy. According to Union Minister Nitin Gadkari’s recent statement in Lok Sabha, there are 1700 operational public charging stations in India. As per the statements by The Power Ministry, Action plans have been prepared by BEE which are focusing on scenario-wise targets in eight prominent cities, cities with a population of more than 4 million; Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Surat, and Pune. Thus, in the coming years, India will see a considerable presence of Public Charging Stations (PCS) for EV owners. Proactive steps are being taken to push the EV sector space in India. Recently, the Department of Heavy Industries sanctioned 1576 public charging stations for 25 highways and expressways which would be with in 25km of range covering both sides of these highways.

To resolve the grid and stability issues in a way that maximizes the output and minimises the cost, the government is also pushing for clean powered EV stations with fuels based on hydrogen or solar along with energy storage applications.

Deploying clean energy powered EV charging stations along with a robust EV power-management interface will help in mitigating the projected burden on existing electric grids as well as prove to be a financially viable option in the long term for EV owners and discoms alike. Solutions such as net metering or power banking could help in absorbing some of the peak demand generated through EV charging. However, this can only be achieved by anticipating, planning and preparing for various deployment scenarios and the resulting power demand. Together, with the decarbonisation of the power sector, the push towards electric vehicles will eventually help in reducing the burden on crude oil imports.

While as a country we have made significant strides in the EV sector, a stronger collaboration between policymakers, businesses and other players will be critical in the accelerated adoption and transition to green mobility in the country. The foundation has been laid and it is now imperative to build on that foundation to propel India’s ambition of achieving net zero and contributing positively to the cause of global climate change.

- Kartikey Hariyani, Founder & CEO, Charge+Zone