*3.3. Achieving Smart and Low-Carbon Mobility*

Transport plays a pivotal role in the development of a country. A transportation network fosters passenger and freight movement across the country, thereby increasing national productivity and socio-economic growth. The increase in transport demand has made the transport sector one of the most energy- and carbon-intensive sectors in India. The transport sector accounts for 24 per cent of total energy consumption [25]. On the other hand, the sector accounts for 13.2 per cent of the total carbon emissions [26]. With growing concern about energy security and climate change, it is now recognized that the transport sector should reduce its reliance on fossil fuels, energy consumption and carbon footprint.

The energy consumption and carbon emissions of the transport sector are typically determined by factors such as vehicle efficiency, vehicle use and distance travelled, fuel and energy types, and overall system efficiency of transport infrastructure [27]. To promote energy-efficient and low-carbon growth in the road transport sector, the GoI has introduced several policies and programmes across passenger and freight segments. The main focus of the policies in this transport segment is on the improvement of vehicular technology through the implementation of progressive fuel efficiency norms and electrification.

With an objective to promote energy efficient low-carbon growth of the road transport segment, the government has introduced two major programmes: the Vehicle Fuel Efficiency Program and the National Electric Mobility Mission Plan (NEMMP) 2020. These are applicable for both passenger and freight road transport in India and are being implemented in a phased manner. Under the Vehicle Fuel Efficiency Program, the implementation of fuel economy standards is an effective regulatory instrument to reduce the average fuel consumption of vehicles. In 2017, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) came up with the first set of fuel economy norms for light duty vehicles (LDVs) in the passenger segment. These standards are based on the corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) norms and define the targets in terms of fuel consumption in liter/100 km.

Under the NEMMP, launched in 2013, the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid and) Electric Vehicles (FAME) scheme was launched in 2015 by the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises to incentivize the production and promotion of electric vehicles (EVs). In addition to the private vehicle segment, the government has introduced EVs in multimodal public transport. In 2017, Nagpur became the first city in India to launch an electric mass transit project in India. A fleet of 200 electric vehicles (100 electric taxis and 100 e-rickshaws) was procured, and a cab aggregator provided the service platform for running the e-vehicles. Furthermore, several mobility solutions

such as a public bicycle sharing scheme, intelligent transport management systems, electric feeders for last/first mile connectivity, integrated transport management platforms, and development of ICT applications have been proposed by several smart cities within the Smart Cities Mission.

The future of low-carbon transport should be highly efficient electric cars running on renewable electricity, a shift from private cars to public transport, better urban planning and investment in options that promote non-motorized transport (NMT) such as cycling and walking. In addition, the current electricity grid infrastructure will need to be reinforced if a significant level of transport electrification takes place. As the transport sector has implications on various other sectors, a cross-sectoral approach that incorporates reviewing the economic and environmental feasibility of sustainable mobility options should be undertaken. To achieve sustainable and low-carbon mobility in cities, the challenges highlighted in the discussions were the need for contextualized transport choices, informed decision making by policymakers, and sensitization of policy to citizens.

The recommendations suggested in the discussions included the promotions of cab aggregators/service providers such as Ola and Uber, provision of subsidies for EVs, and support for NMT options such as trams, as observed in various European countries. Cities also need to promote innovative solutions using ICT and efficient data and energy management. Policies for the transport sector should not be developed in isolation. Policy inputs from all sectors need to be taken into consideration.

#### *3.4. Optimizing Waste Management Processes*

From 2000 to 2015, the urban population of India almost doubled, while the amount of waste generated by the population increased by 2.5 times [28]. In addition, while the urban population has an annual growth rate of 3–3.5 per cent, urban waste generation is expected to increase by 5 per cent per year [29]. In this scenario, solid waste management is a major concern for cities. It is estimated that India's waste generation will reach 436 million tons by 2050 [30]. Effective waste management requires data management and integration at different levels, promoting the private sector and developing linkages between different sectors. Further, municipalities will need to focus on developing institutionalized and environment-friendly mechanisms to support proper waste disposal and better quality of life.

Intelligent energy management solutions that convert waste into useful energy can reduce the amount of waste generated and optimize the waste management process. A typical waste-to-energy (WtE) plant usually requires a minimum input of 300 TPD solid waste so as to make the system economically viable [16]. If large amounts of urban waste generated can be converted to energy, it can reduce the burden on conventional energy sources and the need for open space to dump unrecyclable waste. By 2050, India's WtE potential is estimated to become 556 megawatts (MW). However, these plants require diligence, adequate supply of quality waste, market infrastructure, and technical capacity [30]. Through proper support and the provision of smart technologies, municipalities can develop an active energy generation sector that has co-benefits for other sectors.

Effective technologies can be used for SEM in different areas of waste (collection, processing, and disposal). For example, radio frequency identification (RFID) technology, global positioning system (GPS) routing systems, and vacuum systems can reduce the time and effort spent on collection [31]. In waste treatment facilities, mechanical biological treatment and refuse-derived fuel (RDF) facilities ensure proper disposal of hazardous waste [31]. Moreover, sanitary landfills, bioreactor landfills, and solar integration mechanisms are treatment technologies that help convert excess waste into profitable energy [31].

The informal waste recycling industry is the entry point for introducing innovative and smart solutions. For example, intelligent recycling solutions ensure that informal waste sorting methods, such as manual rag-picking at landfills before the segregated waste is sent to recycling plants, are not only technically more advanced but also faster and safer to use for the workers. As a way forward, a smart waste management plan needs to be supported with the concept of circular economy.

According to Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) data for 2018, 43 per cent of the total urban wards in India are now segregating their waste at the source [32]. In 2017, door-to-door collection coverage increased from 53 to 80 per cent [32]. In cities such as Panaji, Indore, Mysore and Muzaffarpur, there is a waste separation system, wherein separated waste is brought to the processing center [33]. Then, compost is made from wet waste, while only inert waste goes to the landfill. Sambyal [29] elaborates that Alappuzha in Kerala prioritizes segregation and reuse of waste at the household level, making it one of the cleanest cities in India.

It has accomplished decentralized waste management; 80 per cent of the households now own biogas plants and pipe composting systems. As part of the Clean Home Clean City programme, Alappuzha launched Thumburmuzhi in 2013, a model aerobic composting plant that composts animal carcasses [29].

A key challenge facing the waste sector in India is the need to increase manpower at the collection level. Waste segregation is an important obstacle and remains a daunting task. Despite the existing intelligent mapping and routing technologies, the segregation of waste, especially at the household level, is still limited. The sector requires a higher utilization of economical and user-friendly technical solutions.

Another core issue in the sector is the lack of accountability and transparency. Due to the limited knowledge of stakeholders (sometimes corruption) and the lack of innovative solutions, the methods used are not the optimal for effective waste management. Therefore, it is important to develop capacity building and awareness programmes for authorities and relevant citizens to respond to behavioural changes and incorporate smart practices into the waste management sector.

#### *3.5. Enhancing E*ffi*ciency of Public Service Delivery*

A range of urban public services such as street lighting, security management, video-surveillance, weather systems, and communication infrastructure provide safety, security, and information for citizens, while increasing the cities' competitiveness [34]. These public services need to be integrated with smarter, more energy efficient, and more innovative solutions for better service operations, management, and governance.

A range of urban public services, such as street lighting, security management, video surveillance, weather systems, and communications infrastructure, provide security, safety and information to citizens, while improving cities, combined with smarter, more energy-efficient, and more innovative solutions for better service operations, management, and governance.

SEM in public services helps city governments and utilities maintain and improve energy use, and to maximize the efficiency and quality of city services. Three different types of SEM solutions exist in the public services sector: (i) solutions that conserve, control, and monitor energy generated and distributed by utilities; (ii) solutions that store energy generated by customers or third-party members or the utility grid; and (iii) solutions that generate energy from natural resources, thereby creating relative or total energy independence from the grid [6].

A smart grid is an important technology for delivering utility-scale power to industrial, commercial, and residential areas in an efficient, reliable and safe way [6]. It consists of an independent energy network capable of exchanging electricity and operating systems in real time [6]. A micro/macro-scale smart grid can not only reduce energy loss, but also improve the utilization of renewable energy sources [35]. Smart substations and smart metering are the next steps in this direction.

Evidence suggests that smart substations [36] and advanced metering infrastructures [37] have improved the continuity of distributed supply and have had a positive impact on energy efficiency. Energy storage solutions (ESS) are used to store different types of energy (e.g., electricity, heat, kinetic energy). In urban public services, ESS can be used to integrate renewable energy and support demand-response plans. An important advantage of ESS is that customers or third-party energy producers can store energy from the utility grid during a lower price period and use it during a higher price period. Recent advances in energy storage technology include batteries, supercapacitors,

flywheels, hydrogen fuel cells, compressed air storage, thermal storage, and mixed ESS [6,38]. Key applications of these technologies include battery-based grid systems, micro-grid and small-scale renewable energy technologies, and smart charging plug-ins for electric vehicles.

Finally, it is important to note that one of the goals of smart cities is to gradually migrate their electricity, thermal and data infrastructure to a complete renewable energy based systems [39]. Cities need to localize electricity consumption, provide low-carbon heating and cooling, and recycle energy and resources to maximize efficiency. Solutions that support this approach include solar photovoltaics (e.g., grid-connected, off-grid), solar collectors, centralized solar power plants, small and utility-scale wind turbines and geothermal energy. Other non-renewable resources with less impact, such as combined heat and power (CHP) and natural gas and biomass power generation, can better replace conventional power generation.

Local governments in India have been implementing smart energy strategies in public services. For example, district regional cooling systems, smart grids, smart metering, net metering and renewable energy integration are being planned or already used [16]. However, the lack of effective policies and regulations at the central, state and municipal levels, as well as inadequate guidelines, standards and business models, are obstacles to the large-scale use of widely available public service-based SEM technologies (e.g., energy storage, smart micro-grids). Integration of information modelling into urban management infrastructure (climate monitoring stations, lighting and power outage management controls, underground utility monitoring infrastructure, and data and communications management stations) is another key thrust area.

Following the recent announcement of 100 per cent electrification, GoI is making every effort to provide a reliable 24X7 of electricity to all its citizens and to promote reliable and transparent delivery mechanisms. In addition, with the launch of the Smart Cities Mission, hydropower, transportation, telecommunications and disaster management organizations are adopting the latest technologies to improve operational efficiency. Applying SEM solutions in public services can help achieve urban management goals through efficient distribution and transmission planning, utility transformation, and technology transformation [7].

Figure 1 presents a summary of key SEM solutions in different sectors, and Figure 2 presents the key challenges for SEM in different sectors.


**Figure 1.** A summary of key smart energy management (SEM) solutions in different sectors.


**Figure 2.** Challenges for SEM solutions in different sectors.

#### **4. Overall Challenges and Opportunities for SEM in India**

In addition to the above sectoral challenges (Figure 2), different sectors face a range of cross-cutting challenges. Overcoming these challenges is necessary to facilitate and accelerate the implementation of SEM projects. These challenges must therefore be identified in order to allocate efforts and resources effectively and to reduce the main obstacles.

A range of multidisciplinary policy, management and administration tools and techniques are available to analyze the viability of policy and process development of SEM. Examples include from simple policy analysis tools such as SWOT analysis and root cause analysis to more advanced multi-criteria decision making, metric approach, Kaizen 5S method, and Hoshin Kanri X matrix [40]. However, PASTEL analysis is used in this paper as it outlines a novel approach for addressing the political (P), administrative (A), socio-environment (S), technological (T), economic (E), and legal (L) challenges and barriers that constrain the development of SEM in India [41]. The PASTEL analysis listed in Table 1 contributes to a better understanding of the challenges and implementation barriers of SEM.


**Table 1.** PASTEL (Political, Administrative, Socio-environment, Technological, Economic, and Legal) analysis for SEM in India.


**Table 1.** *Cont.*

There is a range of actions that governments and policymakers can promote to address energy-related challenges and achieve successful SEM in cities.

*Integrated policy governance and e*ff*ective decision-making—*Energy management has traditionally been a part of either national or state government policy, while urban development and smart cities fall under the purview of state and city-level governments. Different stakeholders in different sectors with competing targets and goals may pose a significant SEM project and process design challenge. Therefore, the design process of SEM solutions needs cross-cutting initiatives. In addition, as the relation between energy and urban development becomes stronger, integration of SEM initiatives into all relevant government policies and operations becomes imperative. This should be supported by effective decision-making models. Multidisciplinary decision-making tools and techniques offer a variety of options and can facilitate the process of selecting the best solution within existing resources and support paradigm flexibility and applicability at any decision-making scale and variety [40]. Examples of existing decision-making methods for viable policy and process development include multi-criteria decision-making, process and content-oriented decision-making frameworks, decision-making matrixes, and qualitative decision-making tools [40].

Better governance will help the central, state governments and other stakeholders involved in different sectors to better coordinate to improve the effectiveness of energy management in smart cities-related policy decisions and public participation. SEM can be converged with the existing policy programmes by (i) establishing an inter-sectoral coordination committee that ensures integration, cross-referencing and liaison between appropriate organizations in buildings, transport, water and waste, and public services; and (ii) integration of SEM practices into relevant national and local policies (e.g., Smart Cities Mission, relevant missions under the NAPCC, urban development plans, building regulations, and procurement arrangements). Each of these actions can promote accountability and transparency in the decision-making process, which will contribute to smart energy governance in smart city development.

*Provide better resources and infrastructure for technological advancements—*Both human resources, and equipment, are required for adopting the intended SEM functions in smart cities. Funding and developing infrastructure for largescale applications of SEM initiatives remain a challenge. Therefore, governments must focus on innovative financing mechanisms and participation by both the public and private sectors. Governments should introduce adequate resources to drive informed decision-making, for investment prioritization in technology development, and to promote the scaling-up of SEM initiatives.

Policies and resources to support the ongoing development of new technologies are critical to facilitating the large-scale application of SEM initiatives in cities. For example, domestic research and development can reduce the relatively high import and capital costs, increase the potential sources of revenue for businesses and promote the viability of advanced SEM technologies [42]. Pilot and demonstration projects are important in proving the feasibility of new technologies. Successful demonstrations reduce the risk of investing in these technologies and help ensure private investment in large-scale projects [42]. Examples of technologies that have proven technical feasibility through small-scale demonstration projects include cogeneration, compressed air energy storage (CAES), and next-generation battery technologies such as sodium-sulfur batteries and liquid electrolytes low-cell-based batteries [43].

*Develop information, education and communication (IEC) strategies for stakeholder awareness and engagement—*Policies, actions and programmes that increase stakeholder engagement, induce behaviour change, encourage the adoption of smart energy solutions amongst the home and business stakeholders and increase education and awareness amongst the public, private sector and other stakeholders are necessary. Primarily, policies and initiatives that inform the public and stakeholders about the benefits of SEM can be implemented.

Some of the suggested measures are listed as follows:


*Establish performance goals for e*ff*ective implementation and monitoring—*The effectiveness of policy implementation depends on the performance outputs. To this end, governments should set a range of performance targets and measures to achieve the required outcomes. A long-term performance framework should be developed to ensure on-going SEM initiatives and intrinsically energy-efficient and -sufficient new assets. The framework could include specific responsibilities and obligations for agencies, accountable for managing sectoral policies, setting goals, monitoring performance and reporting against these goals, and measuring outcomes.

Performance objectives can be majorly of two types: (i) quantitative targets for energy use, GHG emissions, and renewable energy; and (ii) action-oriented targets (e.g., upgrading designated facilities and awareness-raising programmes). Performance objectives should be regularly monitored, analyzed and updated to meet the policy commitments. This information should be used as appropriate for annual reporting purposes and should include detailed information on each sector.

#### **5. Conclusions**

As India's urban population is expected to grow significantly over the next couple of decades, there will be huge implications for energy demand and consumption [2]. The task of reducing carbon emissions and transforming India's urban centres into energy efficient and sufficient cities requires integration of smart energy management (SEM) practices in the different sectors. SEM can contribute to sustainable and resilient energy systems and services by combining affordable and reliable technologies, active energy efficiency, energy conservation measures, and management of resources. This paper

provides a comprehensive analysis of the policy structure and challenges and opportunities for SEM in India. Three main conclusions can be outlined from the review.

First, since the enactment of the Energy Conservation Act in 2001, a series of policy and regulatory reforms have evolved to support SEM in India. Specifically, the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM) and the Smart Cities Mission have been playing key roles in transforming India's energy management landscape, transforming the energy sector from its infancy into one of the world's largest policy markets.

Second, through the perspectives of different stakeholders involved in the Australia-India Knowledge Exchange Workshop in India and a comprehensive literature review, key SEM strategies and challenges in different sectors are discussed. In addition, some PASTEL (Policy, Administrative, Socio-Environment, Technology, Economy, and Legal) challenges are identified. In addition to reducing carbon emissions, improving energy security and increasing employment opportunities, addressing these challenges will help accelerate the spread of SEM projects and practices in India [41].

Third, a range of policy, governance, resources, information, education, and awareness-oriented initiatives were proposed to address the challenges of SEM. Governments should use each of these recommendations as a starting point; the recommendations are not intended to be prescriptive or exhaustive. The policy recommendations identified in this review are very useful to policy makers around the world who are interested in addressing the challenge of implementing SEM policies and ultimately supporting emission reduction targets.

Finally, SEM offers a bright future for India's energy and economic development. India could intensify its efforts to develop and implement SEM practices to achieve key energy, environmental and economic development goals. However, SEM can only be achieved through collaborative efforts between governments, practitioners, utilities, regulatory boards, and industries. SEM could change India's energy landscape: it has the potential to revive the economy by achieving energy independence, reducing the energy deficit and pushing it to become a "green nation".

**Author Contributions:** Conceptualization, K.Y. and R.R.; methodology, K.Y. and R.R.; formal analysis, K.Y., R.R. and A.P.; investigation, K.Y., R.R. and A.P.; resources, K.Y. and R.R.; data curation, K.Y., R.R. and A.P.; writing—original draft preparation, K.Y., R.R. and A.P.; writing—review and editing, K.Y. and G.P.; visualization, K.Y., R.R. and A.P.; supervision, K.Y and G.P.; project administration, K.Y.; funding acquisition, K.Y.

**Funding:** This research was funded by UNSW-India Seed Grant, grant number RG181589.

**Acknowledgments:** We would like to thank the two reviewers for their comments and suggestions. The reviews have significantly helped to improve the paper.

**Conflicts of Interest:** The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

### **References**


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