Ashwini K Swain
Fellow, Energy Transitions
Dr Ashwini K Swain is a Fellow at the Sustainable Futures Collaborative, where he works on energy policy and governance, and energy transition. His research interests include political economy of electricity, subnational preparedness for the energy transition, and just transition from fossil dependency. He has also worked on public participation in service delivery and regulatory governance, and has a keen interest in the political economy of India. Dr Swain has been actively engaging with civil society organisations and public agencies at national and subnational level on these issues. He also teaches at Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Hyderabad and NTPC School of Business. He has earlier worked at Centre for Policy Research, Energy for Growth Hub, Centre for Energy, Environment & Resources, CUTS Institute for Regulation & Competition, Agence Française de Développement, University of York, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and National Institute of Public Finance and Policy. He holds a PhD in Politics from University of York and MPhil and MA degrees in Political Studies from Jawaharlal Nehru University.
Publications
Reports
Energy Transitions
Energy Transitions Preparedness Initiative: Buildings Sector
Deepak Tewari, Rushabh Soni et al.
ETPI | 28 May 2024
This study aims to understand the energy transition preparedness of the buildings sector of 10 states in India and highlights good examples from the states.
SFC Perspectives
Adaptation and Resilience
Climate Policy
Energy Transitions
Environmental Governance and Policy
SFC Perspectives on Adaptation and Resilience, Climate Policy, Energy Transitions, and Environmental Governance and Policy
SFC
SFC | 19 March 2024
SFC Perspectives are intended to stimulate discussion by providing an overview of key issues and avenues for action to inform India's sustainable development trajectory.
SFC Perspectives
Energy Transitions
Enabling the Energy Transition: Technology, politics & institutions in India’s energy system
Ashwini K Swain, Sarada Prasanna Das, Suravee Nayak, Catherine Ayallore and Navroz K Dubash
SFC | 18 March 2024
Our research and engagements at SFC focus on rethinking the configuration of technology, politics and institutions in Indian energy as a necessary complement to techno-economic solutions for enabling the transition.
Opinions
Energy Transitions
Seeing India’s energy transition through its States
Ashwini K Swain, Ann Josey et al.
The Hindu | 7 June 2023
States are critical actors in India’s energy transition as there is a multi-tier governance of energy production and usage.
Opinions
Energy Transitions
India’s just energy transition is more than a coal story
Easwaran J Narassimhan, Ashwini K Swain et al.
The Hindu | 6 February 2023
India’s G-20 presidency is an opportunity for New Delhi to negotiate a deal for itself while also shaping international cooperation on just energy transitions.
Opinions
Climate Policy
As India Readies Its Carbon Market, a Q&A of What’s at Stake
Aman Srivastava and Ashwini K Swain
The Wire: Science | 20 October 2022
The creation of a national carbon market in India, depending on its institutional setup, policy integration and design could offer a mechanism to reduce emissions – or it could result in serious economic costs. The authors here put forth seven key considerations for its design – including India’s growth objectives, trade balance, fiscal revenues, and the effect on its MSMEs.
Opinions
Climate Policy
Trade-offs in carbon trading: Can a carbon market yield benefits for India?
Aman Srivastava and Ashwini K Swain
Ideas for India | 18 October 2022
The creation of a national carbon market in India, depending on its institutional setup, policy integration, and design could offer a mechanism for reducing emissions, or it could result in serious economic costs.
Opinions
Climate Policy
Pledges, plans, and actions: An analysis of India’s Panchamrit pledges
Aman Srivastava and Ashwini K Swain
Ideas for India | 12 July 2022
In anticipation of India updating its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), Aman Srivastava and Ashwini Swain evaluate the climate pledges made by Prime Minister Modi at COP26.
Opinions
Energy Transitions
Band-Aid Solutions Won’t Staunch India’s Power Crisis
Ashwini K Swain and Rohit Chandra
The India Forum | 31 May 2022
Current short-term fixes for India's power crisis neither address rising uncertainty in the electricity system nor are aligned to a transition towards a 21st century energy system.