Clean Energy Beyond Solar and Wind

Why solar and wind alone can't do everything, which sectors are hard to decarbonise, and what role firm clean power and clean fuels play.

Solar and wind have become the cheapest new sources of electricity in India. But they can’t do everything alone.

Limits of solar and wind

Variable: solar stops at night; wind varies by season.
Storage helps but is costly for long periods.
Land needs are large.

Firm clean power

Grids need some firm power available on demand. Clean options include:

Nuclear.
Hydropower and pumped storage.
Geothermal in some places.
Bioenergy.

Hard-to-abate sectors

Some activities are hard to electrify:

Steel and cement need very high heat.
Fertiliser and refining use hydrogen from fossil gas.
Shipping and aviation need dense fuels.

Here, clean fuels like green hydrogen and its derivatives may help.

India’s goals

500 GW non-fossil capacity by 2030.
Net zero by 2070.

The economic question

Each option has different costs, risks and timelines. The goal is the cheapest reliable mix.

The steel furnace

A steel plant can't simply plug into solar panels: it needs intense heat and a chemical reducing agent. Green hydrogen could one day replace coal in this role.

Thinking solar and wind can decarbonise everything

Firm power and clean fuels are needed for reliability and heavy industry.

Key takeaways

Solar and wind are cheap but variable.
Firm clean power includes nuclear, hydro and geothermal.
Steel, cement, fertiliser and shipping are hard to abate.
India targets net zero by 2070.