ELECTRIFICATION IMPERATIVE

NEWS: Rising geopolitical tensions in West Asia threaten the Strait of Hormuz, exposing India’s gas dependence and accelerating the urgency for electrifying industrial heat.

BACKGROUND

• India imports nearly 50% natural gasà exposing industries to supply disruptions.
• The government reduced gas allocation to non-priority industries to 65–80%, disrupting production in industrial clusters.
• India has 15 GW potential for Concentrated Solar Thermal industrial heat.
• Industrial heat accounts for 25% of India’s total energy consumption.

Need for Electrifying Industrial India

• Conventional gas boilersà Lose 20–30% energy, whereas induction-based electric heating achieves over 90% efficiency.
• Electrification using renewablesà Reduces import dependence and strengthens industrial thermal sovereignty.
  • g., India imports ~50% natural gas.
• Electrifying industrial heatà Lowers fossil-fuel emissions, supporting India’s climate commitments and net-zero target by 2070.
• Rising global gas prices and declining renewable tariffsà make electric heat technologies increasingly economical for industries.

Government Initiatives Supporting Industrial Electrification

• National Solar MissionàPromotes large-scale solar power generation
• PAT Schemeà Perform, Achieve and Trade scheme= improve energy efficiency in energy-intensive industries.
• PLI Incentivesà Production Linked Incentive schemesà support domestic manufacturing of clean energy technologies
• Green Energy Corridorsà Expands transmission networks to seamlessly integrate large-scale renewable energy into India’s national power grid.