Smart Cities Need Smart Energy Sources

As India continues to industrialize rapidly, it is entering its most energy-intensive phase of economic growth — building new infrastructure and increasing the use of transportation. Its energy demand was nearly 700mtoe (million tonnes of oil equivalent) in 2010. According to a McKinsey report, “India: Towards Energy Independence 2030”, this is expected to cross 1500mtoe by 2030. The increase in energy consumption is directly linked to the steady growth in population not only in India but also across the globe. According to the Ministry of Urban Development, it is predicted that the world’s urban population will double by 2050. The urban population in India is currently 31% of the total population and it produces 60% of the country’s GDP. In the next 15 years, we can expect 75% of India’s GDP coming from urban areas. Thus, there is an urgent need for the nation to plan cities that can cater to such large scale urbanization.

The world could build the equivalent of one new city of nearly 1.5 million people every week for the next 40 years.

According to the United Nations’ Habitat Group, the world could build the equivalent of one new city of nearly 1.5 million people every week for the next 40 years. The modern city is under pressure and is being tested in ways that have never been seen before. Globally, rising population and increased prosperity will drive up energy demand. Separate point-pressure on vital resources of energy, water and food will be the greatest in cities where demand will be the most intense. Greenhouse gas emissions, for example, will be pushed up through increased energy production and the power and transport fuel needed to produce and deliver food and treat water. Read More…