downtoearth-subscribe

Assessing deep electrification as a vector to abate emissions in the transport sector

As India moves steadfastly towards incorporating a higher share of Renewable Energy (RE) in its power mix, electrification of the transport sector is viewed as a low-hanging fruit towards achieving sectoral decarbonisation. Further, an assessment that was conducted to determine the priority sectors for deep electrification identified the transport sector as receiving a high priority4. Deep electrification of the transport sector is to be viewed in two tranches – Direct and Indirect Electrification. Road transport has the potential to achieve 100 percent direct electrification, whereas aviation and maritime sectors can be decarbonised by adopting sustainable fuels produced through clean energy sources. Owing to this indirect form of electrification, they are aptly labelled as hard-to-abate sectors vis-à-vis decarbonisation. This report captures key insights into the process of electrifying the transport sector in India.