India's sunny uplands

To avoid the huge run-up in fossil-fuel demand forecasters expect, India will deploy more renewables and hope to electrify its passenger-transport sector

When Indians celebrate their country's 75th Independence Day on 15 August 2022, things should look very different. They should see fewer vehicles lining up for filling stations; more electric vehicles (EVs); and rooftop solar panels will grace the country's buildings. By then, a new energy policy should have taken root. Much needs to be done. India is the world's third-largest energy consumer. By 2040, says the International Energy Agency, its energy demand will rival that of the US and be greater than that in OECD Europe. Imports will be the mainstay of this energy thirst. The government also wants domestic producers to up their game. But big gains, capable of changing the outlook, can also