This paper examines the following research questions: Who wins, who loses, how and why from a Just Transition (JT) in Rajasthan towards a higher share of renewable energies, in particular solar energy? How can the Republic of India reconcile its self-set and international goals of overcoming absolute and energy poverty as well as increasing energy security with current practices of training for and employment in the (renewable) energy sector? Which role do non-state actors play in India’s renewable energy sector to overcome these development challenges?
In times of an accelerating climate change (CC), the Republic of India – like most other states of the Global South – is confronted with ever more developmental challenges. They are, however, particularly intertwined in the Indian context. Not only is the South Asian giant one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries, understandable as “the degree to which a system is susceptible to, or unable to cope with, adverse effects of [CC], including climate variability and extremes”, in addition, 22% of its population still lives beneath the international absolute poverty line of USD 1.90 per day. Confounding this, 168 million people, or 24% of the population, were classified as living in energy poverty, particularly in rural areas, in 2017.
Crucially, these numbers neither imply that the remaining 76% of India’s population enjoy a high degree of energy security nor that these development aspects are highly distinct from each other. The opposite is more likely to be the case, considering the threat of CC to reinforce and deepen already existing inequalities. Furthermore, and exacerbating the prevalence of energy poverty when looking to the future, the world’s second-largest nation is still severely dependent on coal and other fossil fuels. As much as 63% of its electricity are generated by combusting highly climate-damaging fossil sources of energy such as coal
of which it possesses the fourth-largest reserves worldwide.
Table of Contents
1. Rationale
2. Literature review
2.1. The energy-poverty-nexus
2.2. Selected characteristics of Rajasthan
2.3. The Political Economy of Just Transitions
3. Research questions
4. Theoretical arguments
5. Methodology
6. Ethical considerations
Research Objective & Themes
The research proposal aims to investigate the political economy of a "just transition" towards renewable energy, specifically solar power, within the Indian state of Rajasthan, by addressing the developmental trilemma of climate vulnerability, energy poverty, and the necessity for structural energy transformation.
- Analysis of the political economy of just transitions in the context of India's energy sector.
- Examination of energy poverty and access challenges in Rajasthan's rural and urban landscapes.
- Evaluation of the role of state and non-state actors in promoting renewable energy expansion.
- Assessment of the socio-legal and techno-physical dimensions of energy transitions at a sub-national level.
- Application of a critical realist research strategy and qualitative methodologies to understand the distribution of gains and losses.
Excerpt from the Book
2.1. The energy-poverty-nexus
Depending on the definition, approximately a quarter to a third of the world’s population can be considered “energy poor”, of whom the majority lives in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, particularly India (Halff et al. 2014). Importantly, the concept of energy poverty still lacks a solid theoretical underpinning as well as a comparable baseline (Barnes et al. 2014). In addition, although the strong relationship between levels of development and access to energy is anything but a new insight (e.g. Kanagawa & Nakata 2007), the latter entered the international agenda only recently and most ambitiously with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (2015a). Its predecessor, the Millennium Development Goals (MDG, agreed on in 2000, remained surprisingly silent on the issue (e.g. UN 2015b).
Fundamentally, alleviating energy poverty faces most different kinds of barriers (Sovacool 2012) and cannot be merely overcome by having access to energy. In the recent past, India’s rapid upscaling of electricity access for some 40 million citizens via the Saubhagya Scheme may seem quantitatively impressive: approximately 100,000 households were lighted up every day (Del Bello 2019). This itself will not solve the energy poverty problem, however. Whilst the rate of electrification has drastically increased in the last two years, further indicators have to be equally considered to measure secure energy access, including duration, quality, reliability and affordability (Jain et al. 2018). In the context of India’s rural areas, this furthermore includes the provision of electric meters. Since without them no power provider can measure which household consumes how much energy per month, some companies are discouraged from investing in these areas (Del Bello 2019). Finally, as Jain et al. (2018) argue, India does not lack the necessary amount of generated energy; what has to be overcome is the distribution problem in order that every household is being reached in a measurable way. Consequently, they make the case for more decentralised RES, including so-called last-mile solar to guarantee secure energy access to all of India’s citizens.
Summary of Chapters
1. Rationale: This chapter introduces the interconnected challenges of climate change, energy poverty, and fossil fuel dependency in India, establishing the necessity for a just energy transition.
2. Literature review: This section provides a contextual analysis of the energy-poverty nexus, the specific socio-economic characteristics of Rajasthan, and the political economy of just transitions.
3. Research questions: This chapter outlines the primary research inquiry regarding the beneficiaries and losers of a solar-led just transition in Rajasthan and defines supporting sub-questions.
4. Theoretical arguments: This section presents the theoretical framework, emphasizing energy justice, the need for decentralized generation, and the accountability of historical emitters.
5. Methodology: This chapter details the research design, including a critical realist approach and qualitative methods like expert interviews and discourse analysis.
6. Ethical considerations: This final chapter addresses the risks of conducting research on politically sensitive topics in India and discusses the importance of reflexive accounting and informed consent.
Keywords
Just transition, political economy, Rajasthan, India, energy poverty, renewable energy, solar energy, climate vulnerability, energy justice, electrification, decentralised energy, developmental trilemma, qualitative research, energy security, energy policy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research proposal?
The research explores the political economy of a "just transition" towards renewable energy in Rajasthan, India, investigating how this transition affects various social groups and addresses systemic poverty.
What are the primary themes discussed in the work?
The work covers energy poverty, climate vulnerability, the role of state and non-state actors in the energy sector, and the socio-economic impacts of shifting from coal to renewable energy.
What is the overarching research question?
The central question is: "Who wins, who loses, how and why from a JT in Rajasthan towards a higher share of renewable energies, in particular solar energy?"
Which scientific methodology is utilized?
The research employs a retroductive research strategy grounded in a critical realist view, utilizing sequential qualitative methods such as document analysis and expert/focus group interviews.
What topics are covered in the main body?
The main body covers the theoretical conceptualization of just transitions, the specific challenges of Rajasthan’s energy sector, and the methodological and ethical requirements for conducting this field research in India.
Which keywords best characterize this research?
Key terms include Just transition, Political economy, Rajasthan, Energy poverty, Renewable energy, Solar energy, and Energy justice.
Why is the case of Rajasthan specifically selected for this study?
Rajasthan is chosen due to its high solar energy potential, its significant exposure to climate change impacts, and its prevalent energy poverty, making it an ideal case to study the development trilemma.
What role do research assistants (RAs) play in this study?
The study recognizes the critical role of RAs as mediators and interpreters, while noting the need for reflexive accounting to address potential biases and power relations between the researcher, the RA, and the participants.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Max Schmidt (Autor:in), 2020, Power for (and to) the People? The Political Economy of a Just Transition in Rajasthan, India, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/978866
