What does it take to make a just transition actually work?

For a state like Jharkhand, this is not an abstract question. Coal is deeply woven into its economy, livelihoods and the identity of entire communities.

But as the energy system changes, what happens to the people, places and economies built around coal?

In 2022, the Government of Jharkhand constituted the Task Force on Sustainable Just Transition to help answer that question. Bringing together multiple government departments and stakeholders, the Task Force is working to assess the impacts of transition, identify new opportunities and develop policy pathways for a more sustainable and equitable future.

In this episode of India Energy Hour, we speak with Ramapati Kumar, CEO, Centre for Environment and Energy Development (CEED), about how the Task Force has evolved and what its future role could look like as Jharkhand’s just transition takes shape.

Full transcript of the episode is available in English. Created by 101Reporters. 

Produced by World Energy and Development Society 

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India’s energy transition is entering a new phase. The challenge is no longer simply about adding more renewable energy capacity, but about making the power system flexible enough to absorb and use that energy effectively.

This also means rethinking the role of conventional sources, investing in storage, and understanding how states are shaping their transition through policies and distributed renewable energy.

In this episode of The India Energy Hour, we speak with Ruchita Shah, Energy Analyst with Ember’s Asia team, where she focuses on accelerating the global electricity transition, particularly in Asia, with a focus on India. She delves into why flexibility is becoming central to India’s power system, and how rooftop solar and other distributed renewables are changing the way we plan for electricity.

Full transcript of the episode is available in English.

Presented by 101Reporters

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India's energy transition is unfolding against a backdrop of geopolitical uncertainty, volatile energy markets, and growing electricity demand. How should India navigate these competing pressures? In this episode, we are joined by Bill Spindle, a journalist who spent decades at The Wall Street Journal covering global finance, conflicts in West Asia, and, later, the global energy transition. 

We examine how regional conflicts are reshaping India's energy security. We also discuss the evolving role of coal and renewables, and why India's energy choices could determine the success of the global clean energy transition.

Full transcript of the episode is available in English. Presented by 101Reporters

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As India races towards a cleaner energy future, the conversation often revolves around solar and wind. But are we overlooking a reliable, round-the-clock source of clean energy that lies beneath our feet?

In this episode of The India Energy Hour, Karthik Ganesan, Fellow and Director of Strategic Partnerships at the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), joins Dr. Sandeep Pai to discuss the untapped potential of geothermal energy in India. Drawing on CEEW's recent report, The Future of Geothermal in India: Powering Economic Growth and Prosperity with Abundant Domestic Energy, he explains why geothermal deserves a place in India's clean energy mix.

The conversation explores India's geothermal potential, its role in providing reliable clean energy, the challenges to scaling the sector, and the policies needed to accelerate its growth.

Full transcript of the episode is available in English.

Presented by 101Reporters

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Over the past decade, India has emerged as one of the world's leading renewable energy markets. Clear policy direction, competitive markets, and strong public and private investment have helped drive this transformation. But as the energy transition enters its next phase, new challenges are emerging—from grid modernization and energy storage to affordable finance and regional cooperation.

In this episode, we are joined by Gauri Singh, Deputy Director-General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and one of the key architects of India's flagship National Solar Mission. With over three decades of experience in renewable energy policy and international cooperation, she shares insights from India's clean energy journey and discusses what lies ahead for India and the Global South.

Full transcript of the episode is available in English.

Presented by 101Reporters

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Energy transition of India, like any other country in the world is currently marred with wars, energy map reset and new challenges of AI and climate financing. Every nation is back on the drawing board to plan their energy future and climate action in a warming, conflicting world. 

As The India Energy Hour enters the century club, informed conversations tracking the transition, especially of the Global South led by India become more important than ever. 

To get an overview of how far India has come in its transition journey, the lessons that have been learnt along the way and what lies ahead, we hosted a guest who has seen the inside and outside of policymaking and its real-world implementation. 

From working in the IT sector to the corridors of the Parliament, from India’s federal ministry of finance to civil aviation and now in the global climate finance universe, Jayant Sinha has donned several hats. He is currently President, Everstone Group and Visiting Professor in Practice, London School of Economics. He is the former minister of state for finance and civil aviation, Government of India (2014 to 2019) and was also chairperson of the Standing Committee on Finance, Parliament of India (2019 to 2024). Sinha is also a prolific writer and his columns on green finance, transition modelling and AI have appeared in leading mainstream publications and research organisations. 

Full transcript of the episode is available in English. Presented by 101Reporters

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India is facing more frequent and intense heatwaves. The challenge is not just rising temperatures. Cities, infrastructure, and public systems must also adapt.

In the second part of the Heat Series, we hosted Dr. Indu K. Murthy, Sector Head - Climate, Environment & Sustainability at CSTEP.

She explains how extreme heat is reshaping urban life, straining energy systems, and exposing inequalities in access to cooling and resilient infrastructure. She also highlights the need for better urban planning, climate-responsive buildings, localized data, and stronger coordination across energy, water, and public health systems.

Full transcript of the episode is available in English. Presented by 101Reporters

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Extreme heat is no longer just a seasonal inconvenience. It is now the most pervasive and under-recognized risk which can distort India’s growth plans. As temperatures rise, the impacts are being felt across health systems, labour markets, agriculture, and energy demand, yet the issue remains fragmented in how it is understood and addressed.

We present a special two-part series exploring how heat is emerging as a defining climate and development challenge, and explore probable solutions.

For the first part of the series, we are joined by Kartiki Negi and Dr. Vishwas Chitale to understand the science of heat and its growing prominence in India’s climate reality. We discuss the challenge of data collection, under-reporting, and poor understanding of heat in the public discourse, and how it evolves into a living and livelihood crisis.

Negi is Climate Impact Leads at Climate Trends, where she builds compelling narratives on the impact of extreme climate change and extreme weather events across socio-economic sectors. Dr. Chitale is a Fellow and lead-Climate Resilience at the Council on Energy, Environment and Water. His work focuses on assessing risks and building resilience. His latest report on heat data highlights the growing intensity of heat stress across India and the urgent need for better data, stronger heat action plans, and climate-resilient systems

Full transcript of the episode is available in English.

Presented by 101Reporters

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As India’s electricity transition gathers pace, the real story lies in the complexity unfolding across states. What appears straightforward from a distance, adding more renewables and reducing fossil dependence, quickly becomes layered when viewed through states' lens.

In the second part of our State Series, we take a data driven view of this transition. We spoke with Saloni Sachdeva Michael , Lead Energy Specialist, India Clean Energy Transition at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis. Drawing on the recent India State Electricity Transition (SET)Report which she has co-authored, she explains how states are navigating the transition.

What seems like a linear shift reveals deeper operational challenges, from rising peak demand to the constraints faced by distribution companies. Tools like smart metering and demand side management are becoming central. This episode explores how India’s transition is a mosaic of state level pathways shaping the sector’s future.

Full transcript of the episode is available in English.

Presented by 101Reporters

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As India’s energy transition accelerates, much of the real momentum is happening at the state level, where policy meets implementation. From electricity markets and regulatory design to industrial decarbonization and green growth, states sit at the center of how policy translates into action. But what does it take to drive large scale change within these systems?

We present a special series exploring the changes shaping state-level transitions. How can incentives be aligned across institutions, political and economic realities managed, and programs designed to be both ambitious and implementable? And as clean energy becomes increasingly cost competitive, what is shaping the choices states make today?

For the first part of the series, we spoke with Neelima Jain, Director of Industrial and Trade Policy at the India Energy and Climate Center at UC Berkeley. With experience spanning consulting, government, and global think tanks, she has played a key role in shaping and implementing some of India’s most significant energy efficiency and transition efforts, including scaling up UJALA and advancing international energy cooperation.

Full transcript of the episode is available in English

Presented by 101Reporters

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