ENERGY
FUTURE LAB
ENERGY
As the third largest energy consumer in the world, India is crucial and poised to lead global energy transitions. However, in this journey India faces the distinctive challenge of balancing its clean energy targets with economic development and prosperity for its 1.4 billion citizens.
To shape the roadmap to a people centric transition, it is ACPET’s mission to inform the knowledge and policy gaps by rigorous research, in-depth analysis and energy modelling. By integrating technical & economic dimensions, energy analytics supports the development of resilient, equitable, and sustainable energy systems that would help meet the needs of future generations. As India works towards its net zero target by 2070, it is with the aid of these energy-economic models that transformative policy reforms can be designed and implemented to achieve sustainable and inclusive development.
What does the Lab aim to achieve?
ACPET’s Energy Futures Lab aims to empower sustainable energy transitions through innovative research, data-driven insights, and stakeholder engagement fostering equitable solutions for a resilient future.
The lab would focus on creating actionable insights that influence energy policies and providing evidence-based recommendations to improve energy and social system efficiency and thus identify innovative solutions for sustainable development.
ACPET’s Energy Futures Lab would focus on research areas that balance technology development, societal needs, and policy frameworks to achieve a sustainable and inclusive energy transition. Here are the key focus areas it will work in-
Energy Efficiency and Demand-Side Management: Analyse pathways to improve/promote energy efficiency across sectors (buildings, industrial, transport, agriculture) and empower consumers to manage their energy consumption effectively
Renewable Energy: Drive research to understand the framework and challenges for increased adoption, integration, and optimization of renewable energy sources
Decarbonization: Analytically support the research on innovative technologies and policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the energy sector, and analyse the social impact of decarbonisation on health, lifestyles etc.
Building Alternative Scenarios: Modelling future scenarios using energy system models is an essential tool for exploring diverse energy futures, informing policy and investment decisions. Models simulate potential future states by integrating data from various sources—such as energy supply and demand, generation technologies, economic factors, and policy interventions—to analyse and optimize energy transitions.
The Energy Futures Lab will function like a “Hub and Spoke” model where it will set up a hub of different analytical system models and at the same time, while building the hub, it will collaborate with a range of institutions as a spoke of knowledge networks to the core hub.
Also, for producing credible analyses it is crucial that protocols for data collection and management are established to ensure the accuracy and reliability of inputs used in modelling.
By leveraging a combination of these energy models ACPET can effectively develop robust modelling frameworks that consider India’s unique socio-economic landscape and address the complexities of India's energy transition.
ACPET’s Energy Futures Lab will serve as a key driver of energy transition, contributing to the strategic goals of sustainability, decarbonization, and energy resilience. Key outcomes from the lab’s work should be closely monitored and integrated into the overall strategy of people centric energy transition. The following impacts highlight how the lab supports the broader energy transition strategy:
Environmental Impact
• Reduction in GHG Emissions: The lab's modelling and analysis will guide decisions on reducing carbon footprints through increased renewable energy adoption and energy efficiency improvements. This helps achieve decarbonization targets.
• Enhanced Renewable Energy Penetration: By providing insights into the integration and scaling of renewables, the lab supports a transition to a cleaner energy mix, contributing to national and global sustainability goals.
Economic Impact
• Cost Savings and Economic Efficiency: The lab’s focus on energy system optimization will lead to lower operational costs for industries and consumers, improving economic competitiveness while enhancing energy efficiency.
Social and Equity Impact
• Increased Energy Access: The lab’s research into decentralized energy solutions will help extend energy access to underserved and remote communities, reducing energy poverty.
• Behavioural Nudges: Lab’s assessment of the role of behavioural nudges in sustainability will enable to list most applicable and helpful nudges in the Indian context.
Policy and Regulatory Impact
• Data-Driven Policymaking: The lab will provide robust evidence and scenario analysis to support the development of effective energy policies, regulatory frameworks, and climate strategies, ensuring alignment with national and international climate goals.
• Decarbonization Roadmaps: The lab will contribute to shaping policy roadmaps that guide energy transitions, including the development of renewable energy targets, and efficiency standards.
Given the complex and multidisciplinary nature of energy transitions, stakeholder involvement ensures that the lab’s research, projects, and insights are relevant, inclusive, and actionable. Thus, it is crucial to build strong relationships with policymakers, industry leaders, research organisations (academic and think tanks) and community organizations. Stakeholder consultations to co-create knowledge can ensure that the lab’s work is relevant and can influence real-world decision-making.
Communication and outreach are vital components of the Energy Futures Lab's strategy, ensuring that the lab’s research, insights, and outcomes reach key audiences and drive action. Effective communication enhances the impact of the lab's work by making complex data accessible, fostering public understanding, and enabling collaboration across sectors
It will be important to tailor communication strategies to different audiences, ensuring that technical details are understandable to non-experts. The lab would have -
• Develop clear and accessible publications (Technical reports, Policy Briefs, Energy Analysis)
• Conduct Workshops (outreach to communicate findings and bridge the gap between research and practice)
- Deep dive into India’s energy demand sectors using LEAP Model (On-going)
- ACPET-NITI Partnership
- State- energy Calculators
- India Energy Outlook
Copyright © Ashoka University