INDIA’S SOLAR GANDHI: PROFESSOR CHETAN SOLANKI ON ENERGY SWARAJ  

Insight had the opportunity to interview Prof. Chetan Singh Solanki, who is renowned for his work and contributions to the field of renewable energy and his Energy Swaraj Yatra Movement, through which he plans to spread the message of energy literacy. He believes we are using the wrong, carbon-based energies, and the solution lies in efficiently using renewable energy sources. Last year, he took his message to a global stage with a talk at the United Nations in Geneva, where he discussed his Energy Swaraj Model and the message of “Let’s Avoid, Minimise, and only then Generate” or the AMG approach.

The views expressed in this article by Prof. Chetan are based on his experiences during his Energy Swaraj Yatra and do not necessarily reflect Insight’s opinions. Read this article to know more about his insights on the Energy Swaraj Foundation and climate change.

Q: What has the response of the Energy Swaraj Yatra been like so far?

Prof Solanki: Well, I would say great. I’m in the fourth year of my yatra, and I’m not tired, as nice things are happening. Otherwise, travelling and doing things every day would be tiring. People understand when we explain to them that there’s a problem, and they are willing to take action. Our belief as a foundation is that policy-making, rules, regulation, and technology will not solve the problem of climate change. The right understanding of energy and a behavioural change will solve it.

I have learned many things in the last three years. I have designed programs that I’m sure I would not have done sitting at IIT Bombay. When I got on the road, I realised we need to spread energy literacy before discussing solar energy, and that’s why I always write I’m energy literate on my shirt. This feeling did not come while teaching at IIT Bombay for 17-18 years. My learning is so solid and proven that it was strongly received when I spoke at the United Nations in Geneva. It is accepted by people around the country and the world, which keeps me driving.

Q: As you’ve mentioned, governments tend to focus on economic growth, and they’re short-lived. You’ve spoken about the need for a public movement. But wouldn’t it be easier if governments pitched in? It would help minimise and generate cleaner, efficient energy on a much larger scale. So, what are your views on this? How can we make governments address this climate change?

Prof. Solanki: There are two ways to look at this. Firstly, will completely switching to renewable energy solve the problem? No. Modern humans are experts in solving one problem and creating another, right? That’s why the economy, science, and technology are growing, but we are polluting, and stress, depression, and violence are increasing. Everything is in the opposite direction. The whole world, the entire planet, is a finite body with finite resources. Therefore, our consumptions have to be finite. You can’t replace everything with renewable energy and say you are done because every damn thing that you use, even solar panels, you need to mine, dig holes in the planet, refine and put chemicals, you have to use energy, and everything has an impact on the environment. Therefore, we need to transition from careless to cautious use of energy. So, switching to solar energy 100% is the solution, but only by doing it correctly using the Avoid, Minimise, and only then Generate (AMG) approach. 

People call me the Solar Man of India, and what I teach about using solar energy is not to use solar energy because prevention is always better than cure. So, let us learn how to avoid doing things like not ironing clothes and still looking good, not using air conditioning and still being comfortable, not travelling too much or using transport too much, and still fulfilling our needs. We must apply our collective intelligence and technical expertise to these challenges rather than opting for simpler solutions. 

The second thing is that the government cannot afford to put weight behind the adoption and solution of climate change because they are elected for five years. Every government wants to win the election, and there is nothing wrong with it, right? Therefore, with five years, I think no government worldwide can ever afford to think long-term, whereas the climate change solution requires long-term thinking. Out of those five years, one year is a honeymoon period, and the last year is a preparation period. So essentially, you have three years. Even if a government decides to do it, and I have worked closely with the state and central government, hardly any resources are available. The government of India’s renewable energy budget is insufficient; hence, no central or state government can afford to invest many resources. That’s why public movement is required; everybody has to chip in. 

Q: This leads us to our next question: most of the elite sections of society generally tend to have a much larger carbon footprint than the poorer sections, but they are also very educated. So, how can we push for a reduction of consumption in these elite sections of our society?

Prof Solanki: I have noted a common thing about the carbon footprint of elite sections of society. Everyone who’s busy consumes more energy, and because they’re busy, they’re likely educated; therefore, they understand the climate change issue but cannot solve the problem because they have no time to think. The only way to convince them is to bring a philosophical angle and ask them what they are working for. What do I do with this growth if the air and water are polluted and I can’t breathe properly? What do I want to leave behind? 

The Gita says that behind every single act of our life, whether we want to look good, buy a house or car or eat ice cream, the only purpose is to feel good about ourselves, even though it’s not essential for survival. But to feel good, we don’t need much money or to grow so much. So, I think one of the problems of the modern world is that it has grown economically but has lost the philosophical and spiritual touch of life. We do not know how to balance life. How beautiful is it to have all of this technology, but coupled with depression and stress, it is not a great idea. There has been an imbalance in growth, so I think it is essential to bring the philosophical touchback.

I start every lecture with the quote by Plato: “Every king should be a philosopher, or only a philosopher should become a king.” Power without philosophy is very dangerous, and that is what is happening in the world. With science and technology and sending missions to the moon and Mars, we’re losing touch with philosophy. The country’s GDP must grow, but no one knows to what level. A society that doesn’t know how much to grow and how long to grow will meet with an accident. It’s like driving a vehicle without a break. 

Q: Another aspect of society is ignorance – a lack of knowledge that leads to bad climate choices. Can you tell us more about your energy literacy program?

Prof Solanki: Absolutely, so, as I said, the world is a play of energy. And knowing energy, where it is coming from? How is it reaching me? How much am I consuming and contributing to the carbon emissions? What is its connection with climate change? How can I reduce my carbon emissions and change to solar? These are fundamental questions every energy user should know. Every driver should have a license, so every energy user should also have an energy literacy training license. By now, we have over 2 million people registered in one way or another. We have dubbed it into 11 regional languages, and we are also dubbing it into foreign languages. We are also trying to create a simpler version for first to fifth-grade standard students. And it has been a powerful tool. Jokingly, I keep telling my team that the next Nobel prize India gets, we will get it for Energy Literacy.

Q: You also have many monthly campaigns like “Wrinkles ache hai”, “Ek Kamra Solar Ka”, or “Reduce Electricity Consumption.” So how do you come up with these, and what’s the end goal in your mind about these campaigns?

Prof Solanki: Well, it’s very simple that we’re moving in some self-destructive direction; that’s beyond any doubt. We’re trying to slow it down, stop, take a U-turn and move people away from the wrong energy to the right energy at the right time. All our programs are designed to do that. For example, Energy literacy training would bring that awareness and help people reduce their energy consumption. “Wrinkles Ache Hai” will help to stop and reduce energy consumption and then take a turn in the reverse direction with the help of “Ek Kamra solar ka”, switch to solar, and move to renewable energy 100%.

Any country that is not energy-independent cannot be powerful. India depends a lot on other countries to import energy. We must follow this path for our sovereignty and strength, to save foreign exchange and become independent, for climate change mitigation, job creation, and women’s empowerment. So, all of these campaigns are around one theme: the whole world is a play of energy, and we have to correct the game of energy. 

We now have 100,000 people participating in the “wrinkles ache hain” campaign every Monday, and we aim to reach one crore in one year and make it a fashion statement. We don’t want to bring change by making laws and regulations; they are slow tools. We want to bring change by making it fashionable and changing mindsets. Nobody can probably change the world with more technological growth or policy regulations. But we can change the world by emotional connection with the topic and theme, and that’s what we’re trying to do. 

Q: So the foundation currently has ONGC and Coal India Limited as its sponsors and many other organisations and companies as patrons, so how did these partnerships come about? 

Prof Solanki: Many are surprised by Coal India being the sponsor for my Yatra this year, and we also face challenges partnering with certain international organisations. However, my perspective is simple: if we’re coal users, how can we hate Coal India, ONGC, or Shell? 

We’re all part of the same system. Instead of harbouring animosity, we believe in collaboration. And that’s why our belief in the movement is to bring everybody on board, whether we like them or not. We are all the cause of the problem, so we collaborate and ask everyone to be a part of us. When forming the foundation, we decided not to take money or write any proposals to the government because it’s a public movement, and I want the public to support it. People must prioritise a better future for themselves and future generations by embracing sustainable living. Anyone who shares this vision should actively contribute, and that’s how we foster partnerships. However, the struggle continues, and I’m optimistic that more individuals will support this cause. 

Q. How can academic institutions challenge their conventional approaches to sustainability and climate change, and how can IIT Bombay and its students contribute to this movement? 

Prof Solanki: IIT Bombay should lead by example. As a National Board of Accreditation member, we were tasked with developing a sustainability ranking. Others emphasised rewarding financial investments and academic achievements in sustainability, but I proposed prioritising sustainable living. I believe true sustainability lies not in funding or publications but in daily practices. Simply studying or researching sustainability isn’t enough; we must embody it in our lifestyles. IIT Bombay’s electricity consumption is gigantic. This means there is no way an IIT student will understand sustainability and living sustainability as they have not seen what it is like to live so. Even if they do a credit course on solar energy or publish a paper on climate studies, if they are not living sustainably, then there is no point. 

Q: Growing up in rural MP, studying at IITB, and now a Professor at the same institute and involved in this fantastic social initiative, looking back on your path, what are the key learnings you have to give to students, people in your circle and, in general, an ordinary person?

Prof Solanki: Well, I wish everybody was born in a rural area so you understand what it is like. I truly believe many have lost touch with nature in the modern world. We need to reconnect with nature and understand that we are not just a part of it but inherently nature itself. Our health is intricately linked to the health of our environment. While material possessions may seem important, our survival is at stake without clean air, water, and soil. I urge everyone to consider the impact of their actions on the planet and the next generation. Let’s leave behind a livable planet for our children, recognising that they deserve better and can thrive if given the chance.

Q. Living away from home must have been difficult. What challenges have you faced in this yatra till now, and how do you overcome them? 

Prof Solanki: Non-stop travelling, along with working, is always a challenge. Sometimes, we don’t get food or sleep properly or have too many mosquitos. One daily challenge is that we have to sleep in the bus, which is tilted depending on where it is parked. To solve the issue, we make it level using wooden pieces. But for me, these are not challenges. When your attention is on problems, the problem grows, and when the attention is on the solution, the solutions become clear. Problems are a part of everybody’s life, so let us not make them a big deal.

Q. Taking the initial step is always the hardest. What advice do you have for students struggling to take this first step to do something different from the rat race? 

Prof. Solanki: The first step is difficult because we overthink, but life is uncertain. Some thinking is required; everybody should do back-of-the-envelope calculations but do not overthink. The Gita helps me during times of doubt, which says the only thing we have control over is our work, not the fruits of work. So I tell myself that I have to do something, so why not continue doing what I already do? Similarly, students should try doing different things, have thumb-rule calculations and follow their intuition. So, have fun and don’t overthink. 

Q. Finally, one last question, Sir: how can IITB students join this movement and become volunteers at the Energy Swaraj Foundation? 

Yes, we need to spread the movement, so students need to be a part of it. They can be part of the different teams (social media, logistics, etc.). They can contact us at our email ID:  info@energyswaraj.org & chetanss@gmail.com. 

In conclusion, Prof. Chetan Singh Solanki’s Energy Swaraj Yatra and Foundation underscores the urgent need for a collective shift towards sustainable energy practices. He challenges conventional notions through his AMG approach and emphasis on energy literacy, advocating for a holistic understanding of energy consumption. His message resonates globally, urging individuals to prioritise long-term sustainability for the well-being of future generations.

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