New Delhi, February 15, 2018 - The Energy Transitions Commission India (ETC India) was launched today by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) on the sidelines of the World Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS) 2018. ETC India is a unique, high-level, multi-stakeholder platform on energy and electricity sector transitions in India. In the first year of inception, ETC India will focus on policy, research and outreach on decarbonising the power sector.

ETC India will bring together a diverse group of individuals from the energy and climate communities: investors, energy companies, industry disruptors, equipment suppliers, energy-intensive industries, non-profit organizations and academicians.

ETC India is the first country-specific Commission. India was chosen to have its own ETC as the country is taking great strides in transitioning towards renewable sources of energy. The Indian ETC can thus act as a model for other emerging economies as they seek to move to renewable energy sources.

The deliberations at the platform will shape the research and engagement agenda, intended to support policy and strategy decisions in the years to come. There will be strong engagement and continuous interactions with policy makers at various levels of government, industry and associations, and media to test the analysis and hypothesis formulated through ETC activities in India.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Ajay Mathur, Director General, The Energy and Resources Institute said," As India's energy mix and demand patterns change, due to significant addition of Renewable Energy in the grid and new Energy Efficiency measures, it is important that the policy and regulatory environment in the power sector rapidly adapts itself to the changing landscape. It is necessary to engage with all stakeholders - suppliers, consumers, funding agencies, developers, governments and regulators to enable accelerated action and decarbonization. This is where ETC India will play the role of an enabler and facilitator for achieving pathways to low-carbon energy systems in India."

TERI, in collaboration with Climate Policy Initiative, National Renewable Energy Laboratory and International ETC will provide a 'systems approach' to the challenges faced by India and help in addressing the global challenge with the same approach. ETC India will support and facilitate Government of India's objective of decarbonisation of energy systems through assessment of power demand and supply scenarios along with balancing, reserves and flexibility requirements in the Indian power sector and continuous engagement with relevant stakeholders.

About the Energy Transitions Commission

The Energy Transitions Commission was convened to help identify pathways for change in our energy systems to ensure both better growth and a better climate. This is inspired by the work of the Global Commission on the Economy and Climate and its flagship project the New Climate Economy. The Commissioners bring a diverse and remarkable range of viewpoints and extraordinary depth of experience. They come from across the energy spectrum, including investors, incumbent energy companies, innovators, industrial energy users, public and academic institutions and foundations, advisors, and academics from across the developed and developing world. What they share is a mission to accelerate change towards zero-carbon energy systems that enable robust economic development and limit the rise in global temperature to well below 2°C. They will do this by providing decision-makers with insights and options for action at local and/or sector level. This will stem from objective research and wide engagement with actors in the energy system.