ABSTRACT
The energy transition that many desire to see in India is one that will transform the coal dependent country into one that is less so. 'Sustainable growth', a narrative that assures that there is no trade off between the low carbon transition and the energy access transition, is used to mediate these fears. India's current energy basket is dominated by fossil fuel. The revised target for coal production and coal based electricity generation announced by the new government suggests that renewable energy will supplement rather than displace fossil fuel based energy generation. The low carbon transition is showcased to the international audience concerned over carbon emissions through the increasing share of renewable energy in India's energy basket. The anticipated shortage of fuel-wood did not materialize as hydrocarbon based liquid and gaseous fuels for cooking rapidly displaced fuel-wood in urban households in the 1980s.
