Understanding the future of Cleantech startups – challenges and opportunities involved

Due to rapidly depleting natural resources, expanding population, and urbanisation, the world is rapidly shifting toward renewable energy. While the situation necessitates the development of sustainable products and solutions, balancing economic growth and environmental protection remains a challenge. Clean tech is the way of the future. Clean technology (Clean tech) refers to goods, processes, or services that reduce waste and use as few nonrenewable resources as possible. Clean technologies aren't an industry in and of themselves, and their image is still a little jumbled.

Understanding the future of Cleantech startups – challenges and opportunities involved

 

Introduction

Due to rapidly depleting natural resources, expanding population, and urbanisation, the world is rapidly shifting toward renewable energy. While the situation necessitates the development of sustainable products and solutions, balancing economic growth and environmental protection remains a challenge. Cleantech is the way of the future. Clean technology (Cleantech) refers to goods, processes, or services that reduce waste and use as few nonrenewable resources as possible. Clean technologies aren't an industry in and of themselves, and their image is still a little jumbled.

What are Cleantech startups?

India's Cleantech startups create the technologies, business structures, products, and services needed to deploy and finance cost-effective Cleantech solutions at scale. A Cleantech business is one that develops or sells a technology, product, or service that addresses an environmental problem. In India, cleantech encompasses not just renewable energy generation but also water and waste water management, electronic waste disposal, and recycling. In India, all types of renewable energy (wind, small hydro, solar, biomass, and waste to energy) have a lot of promise.

The following aspects of clean technology are covered:

  • Energy storage and renewable energy
  • Materials that are environmentally friendly
  • Efficiency in terms of energy and resources
  • Agriculture that is both sustainable and profitable
  • Transport that is environmentally friendly
  • Quality of water, land, and air
  • Waste and recycling

 

 

Scope of Cleantech in India:

In a huge and industrially-growing country that will progressively rely on clean approaches for electricity generation, transmission, and management, the possibility for entry into India's Cleantech industry remains significant. Disruptive innovation and the expansion of clean technology are being driven by start-ups. Young entrepreneurs are responsible for installing 75% of India's solar PV capacity. The government wants to encourage investments in renewable energy worth more than US$ 200 billion so that it can account for 15% of total energy consumption.

Opportunities:

Despite a number of challenges, it is safe to say that India's Cleantech industry has been rapidly expanding in recent years. With India's government altering strategy in the long run to become a net-zero carbon economy, the country has set aggressive goals for several Cleantech areas. To encourage new enterprises and organizations in the Cleantech industry, the country is upgrading a consistent approach system and rules. According to several statistics and industry indicators, India is ranked fifth in the world in terms of installed renewable energy capacity, and second among the numerous emerging economies leading the charge toward clean energy. Similarly, according to a new IBEF report, India's sustainable electricity sector is the "fourth-most appealing business sector in the world."

Cleantech will play an important role with the accompanying drivers in the near and medium future, because: Technology will be complemented by capital advancement, which will include new financial structures, players, financing vehicles, and jobs. Renewables will play a growing role in nations' and partnerships' energy mix. Because of the energy in developing business sectors and the more favourable economics of solar and wind energy, global improvements in clean energy will increase.

The amount of money invested by developing countries will increase. Private advancement and company ventures, as well as fundamental public sector backing in the form of tax reductions, grants, and loan guarantees, have fueled the growth of a few clean energy technology segments in recent years. A large range of clean technologies are now being offered, such as biomass, solar thermal, and onshore wind farms. Because of the increased creation and development witnessed in the sector, the costs of such advances have decreased.

Challenges:

Despite numerous developments in this field, Cleantech entrepreneurs confront unique challenges that extend beyond the typical business development lifecycle. Cleantech is still a developing idea in India, with much of the focus being sector-specific to date. At the authoritative level, separate programmes are currently focusing on restoring certain areas, such as solar, wind, energy efficiency, electric transportation, and so on. Excessive reliance on solar and wind power can be costly in the long run, especially if the technology for generating sustainable power at scale improves. The huge money required is the primary stumbling block. Another area of stress that is approaching is what is known as "green fatigue." The sheer number of Cleantech examples of overcoming adversity that have been recommended to them over the preceding decade has worn out speculators, investors (VC), and industry experts. As a result, they remain wary of Cleantech start-ups' capacity to succeed in the long run. Floods, erratic rainfall, dust storms, extremely high temperatures, and other undesirable climate conditions and events regularly exacerbate the susceptibility. Research and advancement for quality-driven business versatility in the space of Cleantech is another huge field where India needs to up its game.

Notwithstanding customer-based products, B2B clean and sustainable advancements experience a comparable test. Embracing these developments in mid-to-enormous size enterprises can be overwhelming because the absence of schooling exhibiting the drawn-out cost decreases. Regardless of whether an organization is eager to take a gander at elective energy choices, youthful new businesses in this space may have a troublesome street when contrasted and more-settled contenders. Another significant area where India has to improve its game is research & development for quality-driven business versatility in the Cleantech arena. Aside from customer-based products, B2B clean and sustainable improvements are put to the same test.

The lack of a centralized and unified strategy and financial framework, as well as the government's limited recognition of Cleantech as a real business, is a source of concern for India's section. The success of renewable energy groups is influenced by political factors. As one might assume, energy strategy changes as formal entities change. States play an important role in generating innovative and alternative energy solutions, according to Holmes Hummel.

Conclusion:

In India, the sustainable energy market is rapidly growing, attracting the attention of the Indian government as well as other financial experts and companies. The Indian government is also promoting this area by offering various ways and policies. This area has the potential to transform India's power output if its wind, solar, biomass, and hydro energy resources are properly channeled. In the last decade, cleantech has experienced an increase in money from engineers, company and government pioneers, and speculators, resulting in a growing number of improvements, lower costs, and the development of new monetary and contractual structures.

 

References :

https://startuptalky.com/cleantech-startups-india/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/allbusiness/2018/10/06/clean-tech-startups-key-issues/?sh=9226d09194e6

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/bse.2406

https://blog.ipleaders.in/understanding-future-cleantech-startups-challenges-opportunities-involved/amp/#aoh=16284034763531&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.ipleaders.in%2Funderstanding-future-cleantech-startups-challenges-opportunities-involved%2F

 

 

Abhaya Mohan