What is Clean Technology?

It refers to any product, service or process that delivers value using limited or no nonrenewable resources and/or creates significantly less waste than conventional offerings .Area of focus of the Clean Technology sector include energy, water, agriculture, transportation & manufacturing where the technology creates less waste or toxicity

Sectors of application:

Renewable energy technologies

Wind Energy, Hydro energy, solar energy, energy from waste

Environmental Management

Water Filtration, Industrial Air Pollution, Effluent treatment from Industries, Vehicular Pollution, Waste water treatment/ solid waste management

Technologies/ processes to improve the energy efficiency in households/ Industries

 

Clean Technology in Indian Context

Increasing focus on Environmental Management

Deterioration in Air quality due to vehicular emission & untreated Industrial smoke

Particulate Matter in major Indian cities >10 times the legal limit

Only 7% of the solid waste is treated

While 20% of waste is recyclable, 35% compostable, 35%-40% inert

Regulations pertaining to air and water pollution levels forcing industries/ government bodies to adopt cleaner technologies to meet the legal norms

Energy Uncertainty

Overdependence on coal & oil as a source of energy more than 90% of India’s energy requirement being met through Coal & Crude Oil

Carbon emissions in India has grown by 65% over the past five years (2nd highest growth next only to China)

Technological Advances

Innovations in microelectronics, biology, chemistry & physics have improved performances of clean technologies

Sustainable Development imperative

Recognizing the need to balance the environmental, economic and social interests

Through adoption of clean, affordable, and resource efficient technologies

Changing Political winds

Recognition by the Governments that future competitiveness is directly linked to being more resource efficient

….And Most importantly….

Vast new business opportunities presented by the Cleantech revolution

Forward seeking entrepreneurs coming ahead to develop and commercialise many clean technologies

Trend driven by improvement in technology leading to decreasing costs

More and more projects becoming commercially viable vis-à-vis conventional Technology

Specific opportunities exist in the following sectors

Industrial Pollution Abatement

Renewable Energy

Water Supply & Sanitation

Environmental monitoring & measuring

 

How big is the business opportunity in greentech today? Are there any estimates about the Indian market?

 

The cleantech markets may dwarf the IT markets by orders of magnitude

                         —$trillions versus $billions.

 

For sustainable India’s growth story to continue, India needs two things

                        — Energy and Human capital.

 

The government has recognized this and has aggressively invested in both these sectors. There is a great opportunity for public-private partnerships to foster innovation and move India to the forefront of cleantech. And India could do the same in the energy sector as it has done in the telecom sector. India leapfrogged generations of technology in the wireless telecom infrastructure.