In this sunday times there was an article by Swaninathan S Anklesaria Aiyar, titled "Does Kuwait import oil?". In his article he had mentioned about a catch 22 situation of India's energy security.
As per him when the world experienced the first oil shock in 1973 each and every country including India where thinking about energy security. And the world is nearing anouther oil shock as the crude oil is retailling at $60/barrel and it is assumed that it will reach $70/barrel soon. During the first crisis everybody in India agreed that energy security meant maximizing the use of our coal reserves, which were sufficient for 300 years consumption. Nobody regarded energy security as arranging imports of oil and gas.
But the truth is India needs a energy security and these cannot be based on imported oil and gas. It must be based on maximising the use of coal and subsituting oil and gas whereever feasible. These is not happening, for 2 reasons. First, we have no overall energy minister, and different energy related ministries behave like separate fiefdoms. Second, despite our hugh coal reseves, we have turned from an coal exporter to an importer of coal.
More on it in my next blog. Wait for it.
As per him when the world experienced the first oil shock in 1973 each and every country including India where thinking about energy security. And the world is nearing anouther oil shock as the crude oil is retailling at $60/barrel and it is assumed that it will reach $70/barrel soon. During the first crisis everybody in India agreed that energy security meant maximizing the use of our coal reserves, which were sufficient for 300 years consumption. Nobody regarded energy security as arranging imports of oil and gas.
But the truth is India needs a energy security and these cannot be based on imported oil and gas. It must be based on maximising the use of coal and subsituting oil and gas whereever feasible. These is not happening, for 2 reasons. First, we have no overall energy minister, and different energy related ministries behave like separate fiefdoms. Second, despite our hugh coal reseves, we have turned from an coal exporter to an importer of coal.
More on it in my next blog. Wait for it.
2 comments:
Aiyar's articles r really good.. if u wanna link of it on net.. then check out the Favourite Sites section in Suraj's (my frnd list) blog
Thanks i will look into that.
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