Latest news with #NammaSAFARI
The Hindu
11-07-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Karnataka's greenhouse gas emissions could exceed 400 MT by 2050: Report
Karnataka's greenhouse gas emissions could exceed 400 million tonnes (MT) by 2050, states a new report by not-for-profit research organisation CSTEP. Though the emissions could exceed 400 MT by 2050, emissions can be cut to 50 MT, mainly through electrification, renewable energy, and demand-side interventions, the report, titled 'Namma SAFARI: Low-Carbon Development Pathways for Karnataka,' said. Six key factors Namma SAFARI is Karnataka's first integrated system dynamics model, mapping long-term interactions across six key sectors — energy, transport, industry, buildings, agriculture, and land use — till 2050. Developed by CSTEP, the model supports evidence-based planning for a low-carbon, sustainable future. 'The model projects Karnataka's population will cross 75 million by 2050, with its Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) rising to ₹128 lakh crore (2011 constant prices). Under a business-as-usual path, greenhouse gas emissions could exceed 400 MT by 2050. However, a low-carbon scenario, informed by expert consultations, shows emissions can be cut to ~50 MT, mainly through electrification, renewable energy, and demand-side interventions,' CSTEP said. The report also highlighted that in the buildings sector, electricity demand could reach 40% of total use by 2050. 'The low-carbon path reduces this by 25% through passive cooling, green construction, and rooftop solar. Enforcing energy codes such as Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) and Eco Niwas Samhita (ENS) is key,' it added. Role of industry It further stated that industry is the largest contributor to electricity demand and emissions. 'To guarantee demand and drive economies of scale, a mandate for a minimum share (~25%) of public infrastructure projects to use certified green cement or steel, along with preferential pricing for compliance, would boost investment in low-carbon production. Decarbonising these industries also has other co-benefits,' it said. The other highlights of the report are in agriculture, which currently uses ~30% of the State's electricity; demand drops to zero in the low-carbon case through off-grid solar irrigation. 'Scaling up minimum support price coverage for crops such as millets, pulses, and oilseeds (currently just 8%) will support this shift,' CSTEP said. 'For transport, shifting 33% of freight to rail by 2030 could save 50 crore litres of diesel annually. Electrification doubles power demand to ~54.5 TWh by 2050. Incentives for rail, improved logistics, and electric vehicle (EV) expansion are needed,' it further added.
The Hindu
24-04-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Namma SAFARI Model offers data-driven insights for Karnataka's climate goals
Namma SAFARI, a first-of-its-kind integrated system dynamics model enabling policymakers, researchers, and planners to explore low-carbon development pathways, was launched at an event at the Bangalore International Centre on Thursday. Developed by the Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP), a research-based think- tank, Namma SAFARI intends to simulate growth across key sectors such as power, industry, transport, buildings, agriculture, and land use, while tracking resource use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The Namma SAFARI dashboard offers policymakers and other stakeholders an intuitive, interactive platform to simulate scenarios, tweak variables, and design actionable roadmaps for a greener Karnataka. It is claimed to be Karnataka's first comprehensive long-term planning tool tailored to the State's unique development needs and climate goals. Participating in the launch event, Rajeev Gowda, former MP, spoke about the need for modelling studies that inform policies by looking at long-term future scenarios and highlighted that maintaining dialogue with policymakers is important. As part of a panel discussion at the event, N. Amaranath, CEO, Karnataka Solar Power Development Corporation Limited (KSPDCL), pointed out that globally, the expansion of large-scale solar capacity faces significant land-use challenges, particularly in balancing food security, forestry, and urbanisation goals. This makes the prospect of meeting all energy needs through electrification alone seem highly unrealistic for a country like India. Key insights from the model Insights from the model showed that while Karnataka's electricity demand is projected to soar, driven by massive electrification across sectors, a green shift is possible. If no new coal plants are built and renewables are ramped up, GHG emissions could fall from 400 MT to just 50 MT by 2050. Green construction materials, rooftop solar, and passive cooling strategies could cut building-related electricity demand by 25%, while making houses more comfortable and energy-efficient. Shifting from coal-heavy production to electric- and hydrogen-based alternatives could decarbonise two of Karnataka's most emission-intensive industries. A freight modal shift from road to rail and widespread electric vehicle adoption can slash diesel use and transport emissions. Insights from the model also underline the importance of solar pumps, micro-irrigation, and millet cultivation in reducing agriculture's massive electricity footprint, and highlight that renewables paired with battery and hydro storage will be the backbone of Karnataka's green energy transition. Policies around time-of-day tariffs and storage incentives are critical.
