US-based Environmental Defence Fund launches made-in-India open-source energy model

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Renewable energy has significant advantages but also comes with unique constraints like weather, land availability and lack of flexibility on when power generation can happen and when it cannot, it pointed out. The newly launched open-source model will help address these complexities, it stated, adding that this model is designed to aid in national and state level power planning of energy. The IDEEA also aims to become a platform for open-source energy modelling.

“To better plan the transition and to manage a more dynamic system, a large-scale mathematical model that integrates the complex and multiple variables is a necessity. There is the need for fit-for-purpose, open-source, and transparent models like IDEEA. There is also a need to significantly ramp up the number of energy modellers in India," said Prof Balachandra Patil, Chief Research Scientist, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru.

IISc and JU, along with EDF, are building modelling capacity within West Bengal and Karnataka while developing the tool, added Prof Patil. ''Open-source model IDEEA can suggest multiple options to a consumer to make the energy consumption low carbon intensive. If India must achieve its carbon-neutral targets, the government and industry need to work together for a better future," said Prof Joyashree Roy, Founder Advisor, Global Change Program – Jadavpur University, who played a key role in the development of IDEEA model.