GigaWhat: Building the backbone

We are all familiar with the buzzing sound under high-voltage power lines and transmission towers. The electricity passing through it is generated from coal power plants, solar parks, wind farms, dams and other sources. It passes through transmission networks and substations to eventually reach the end users. Day by day, the share of renewable power entering this system is increasing. However, the solar and wind farms that are coming up or expanding to meet India's renewable energy goal are concentrated within a few states. India will need to upgrade and expand its transmission infrastructure to evacuate the power generated here and feed it into the national electricity grid to be distributed across all regions. The transmission infrastructure in India needs two trillion rupees! But there isn't enough money flowing for the development. Without adequate transmission systems in place, renewable energy plants can turn into stranded assets. And that's a fear for project developers and investors. Listen to GigaWhat and explore some of the biggest questions, challenges, and opportunities in India's transition from fossil fuel to clean energy sources. Mongabay-India is an online publication dedicated to bringing you stories on science and the environment in India. Read the full Clean energy series on our website Follow us on Twitter and Instagram Subscribe to our newsletter Guests: Balawant Joshi, Managing Director, Idam Infra Deepak Krishnan, Associate Director, WRI India (Energy) Links: Financial Constraints in Renewable Energy Sector, Ministry of New And Renewable Energy Power Map of India Renewable Energy Industry in India, IBEF Renewables Integration in India, IEA Renewable Energy Management Centers Credits: Host: Mayank Aggarwal Writer and producer: Kartik Chandramouli Audio editor: Tejas Dayananda Sagar Copy editor: Priyanka Shankar Podcast production assistant: Ayushi Kothari GigaWhat cover art: Pooja Gupta