Publications

Empowering Women-led Chitarpur Sewing Cluster with Solar PV in Jharkhand, India

Research Paper
| September 27, 2024

The increasing adoption of renewable energy, particularly solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, has emerged as a pivotal solution for addressing energy access challenges in rural areas. This paper presents an impact assessment of a Solar PV installation project in the Chitarpur sewing cluster, Ramgarh, Jharkhand, implemented by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI). The project aimed to improve energy access for 150 micro and household-based sewing enterprises, addressing challenges in productivity and reliability of power supply.

Roadblocks to Indian Railways’ ‘Mission 3,000 MT’

Research Paper
| September 24, 2024

The share of Indian Railways in domestic freight transport has been declining over time, from 85% in 1951 to less than 30% in 2022. However, Indian Railways has set loading targets of 3,000 million tonnes by 2027 and 3,600 MT by 2030–31, to achieve 45% of freight share by 2030–31. This article analyses the operational characteristics of Indian Railways and identifi es several issues. Sustained dependence on bulk commodities, mainly coal, iron ore, steel, and cement for revenue generation may signifi cantly impact profi tability in the long run.

Sustainable Organic Waste Management : A Playbook for Lucknow, India

Policy brief
| September 23, 2024

In 2020, global municipal solid waste (MSW) generation reached 2.24 billion tonnes, a figure projected to rise to 3.88 billion tonnes by 2050. This increase will be largely driven by the fastest-growing regions, including sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa, South Asia, and the Middle East, where waste levels are expected to double or even triple.

Mycorrhiza and Bacteria-Enriched Microbiomes

Article
| September 19, 2024

Mycorrhizae are beneficial soil fungi that establish a symbiotic association with host plant roots. In nature, they also associate with bacteria during different stages of their life cycle. Cross-kingdom associations formed between plant roots and mycorrhizae have been proficient in positively influencing plant growth as these associations are evolutionarily selected and maintained in nature, and are hence more powerful than introduced, non-native, combinations of biofertilizer bacterial strains.

WSDS2024: Launch of MTCoE’s Daylight Plugin Tool at the thematic session "Advancing Sustainable Building Practices: Role of Laboratories and State-of-the-art Infrastructure to Enhance Energy Efficiency & Thermal Comfort."

Article
| September 18, 2024

The session was conducted as a part of the World Sustainable Development Summit 2024, the only leading sustainable development summit in the Global South. Held on February 8th, 2024, at the India Habitat Centre, it focused on exploring the potential of smart technologies and data analytics in managing energy and optimizing building performance, emphasizing the significance of human-centric design for improving occupant comfort.

Heat Waves and Action Plans: How Does India Fare?

Article
| September 18, 2024

While preparedness, alerts and warnings, and other measures of heat action plans have vastly reduced the impact of heat waves, the duration and frequency of climate-induced heat waves are on the rise. Jency Samuel says that as heat waves impact people’s health and livelihood, and the nation’s economy adversely, there is a need to improve and better implement the heat action plans.

Urban Flood Analysis and Early Warning Solution for Disaster Resilience

Article
| September 18, 2024

AbstractThe objective of this work is to present the experimental findings of an urban flood early warning system developed by combining a mesoscale numerical weather prediction model (WRF) forecast with a distributed hydrologic modeling system. Hydrodynamic models have been used in the simulation of intricate and interrelated dynamic systems, such as urban watersheds and urban water infrastructure. The use of these models in assessing flood hazard, vulnerability, and risk is well-established.

Climate Resilience in Water Resource Management in India: A Conceptual Framework for Action

Policy brief
| September 18, 2024

The water sector in India is facing increasing variability and unpredictability of water resources due to climate change. This is compounded by inadequate infrastructure for water storage and distribution, and the insufficient integration of climate resilience into water management policies. This is highlighted by the IPCC's Sixth Assessment Report. Key threats include extreme weather events, rising temperatures, erratic monsoons, and sea level rise, impacting agriculture, industry, ecosystems, and overall water security.

Accelerating Biodiesel Blending in India

Policy brief
| September 18, 2024

India’s dependency on imported fossil fuels is mounting incessantly. The petroleum products consumption in the country has increased about 38.2% from the past decade, resulting in a substantial expenditure on oil imports.Biodiesel is one of the alternative fuels that can be produced from non-edible sources, waste oils, animal fats, etc. India’s government is emphasizing energy security with a target of reducing the usage of fossil fuels and import burdens.

Remote sensing-based vegetation indices in agroforestry plantation monitoring

Research Paper
| September 18, 2024

Agroforestry offers a vital solution for addressing challenges in India's agricultural sector, which is burdened by fragmented landholdings, environmental degradation, and economic vulnerability. With 86.1% of farmers being small and marginal, integrating agroforestry into agricultural practices presents an opportunity for enhancing livelihoods through additional income streams and contributing to climate resilience.