Book

What does India's transition to renewable energy mean for economic growth, energy security and sustainable development? This book examines that question through the lens of economics, bringing together energy-system measurement, growth theory, empirical methods and public policy. Renewable Energy Consumption and Economic Growth: Trends, Structural Transformation and Sustainable Development in India traces the evolution of renewable energy in India and explains how solar, wind, hydropower and bioenergy interact with the wider economy. It distinguishes installed capacity from electricity generation and final energy consumption, a crucial distinction when assessing the real economic value of the energy transition. Moving from conceptual foundations to long-term trends, the book explores changes in the energy mix, energy intensity and productivity. It investigates the channels connecting renewable energy with investment, industrial development, agriculture, services, employment, trade and regional transformation. A dedicated econometric discussion introduces trend estimation, structural-break analysis, stationarity, cointegration and predictive causality, while emphasizing the difference between statistical association and demonstrated causal effects. The analysis also addresses the difficult choices facing policymakers: financing and grid integration, storage and flexibility, affordability and reliability, supply-chain dependence, environmental trade-offs and the fair distribution of transition costs and benefits. It considers how innovation, green finance, regulatory design and coordinated institutions can help convert renewable investment into useful energy services and lasting economic opportunity. Rather than assuming that every increase in renewable capacity automatically produces growth, this volume asks when, how and for whom renewable energy creates economic value. Combining analytical rigor with a clear India-focused policy perspective, it is intended for economics students, researchers, policymakers and energy-sector professionals seeking a deeper understanding of the country's changing energy-development relationship.