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King Charles III makes world debut as tour starts in Germany

Britain’s King Charles arrived at Berlin-Brandenburg Airport in Germany on Wednesday, his first international visit as the U.K.'s new monarch.

Britain’s new king has arrived in Berlin, hoping to cement his country’s improving relations with Europe and show he can help the U.K. win hearts and minds abroad just as his mother did for seven decades. (March 29)

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, right, and his wife Elke Buedenbender, left, welcome Britain’s King Charles III and Camilla, the Queen Consort, in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Wednesday, March 29, 2023. King Charles III arrived Wednesday for a three-day official visit to Germany. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

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German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, right, and Britain’s King Charles III attend a welcome ceremony, in Berlin, Germany, March 29, 2023. (Wolfgang Rattay/Pool via AP)

Britain’s King Charles III and Camilla, the Queen Consort, arrive at the airport in Berlin, Wednesday, March 29, 2023. King Charles III arrives Wednesday for a three-day official visit to Germany. (Jens Buettner/dpa via AP)

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, right, his wife Elke Buedenbender, left, and Britain’s King Charles and Camilla, the Queen Consort attend a welcome ceremony, in Berlin, Germany, March 29, 2023. (Wolfgang Rattay/Pool via AP)

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, center left, with his wife Elke Buedenbender, welcome Britain’s King Charles III and Camilla, the Queen Consort, right, in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Wednesday, March 29, 2023. King Charles III arrived Wednesday for a three-day official visit to Germany. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Troops get ready to take part in a welcome ceremony for Britain’s King Charles III and Camilla, the Queen Consort, in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Wednesday, March 29, 2023. King Charles III arrives Wednesday for a three-day official visit to Germany. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

People wave German and British flags while German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his wife Elke Buedenbender welcome Britain’s King Charles III and Camilla, the Queen Consort, in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Tuesday, March 29, 2022. King Charles III arrived Wednesday for a three-day official visit to Germany. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

Britain’s King Charles III greets a member of the public as he visits Berlin, Germany, March 29, 2023. (Wolfgang Rattay/Pool via AP)

Britain’s King Charles III and Camilla, the Queen Consort, arrive at the airport in Berlin, Wednesday, March 29, 2023. King Charles III arrives Wednesday for a three-day official visit to Germany. (Britta Pedersen/dpa via AP)

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, left, and Britain’s King Charles III review troops during a welcome ceremony, in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Wednesday, March 29, 2023. King Charles III arrived Wednesday for a three-day official visit to Germany. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Britain’s King Charles III, left, and Camilla, the Queen Consort, right, drive in a car after they arrived at the airport in Berlin, Wednesday, March 29, 2023. King Charles III arrives Wednesday for a three-day official visit to Germany. (Britta Pedersen/dpa via AP)

A police sharp shooter stands atop a building overlooking the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, waiting for the arrival of Britain’s King Charles III and Camilla, the Queen Consort, Wednesday, March 29, 2023. King Charles III arrived Wednesday for a three-day official visit to Germany. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

A police sharp shooter stands atop a building overlooking the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, waiting for the arrival of Britain’s King Charles III and Camilla, the Queen Consort, Wednesday, March 29, 2023. King Charles III arrived Wednesday for a three-day official visit to Germany. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

King Charles III and his wife Camilla sign the guest book at Bellevue Palace in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday, March 29, 2023. Before his coronation in May 2023, the British King and his royal wife will visit Germany for three days .(Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa via AP)

King Charles III (2nd from right) and his wife Camilla (2nd from left) sign the guest book in the presence of German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his wife Elke Buedenbender at Bellevue Palace in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday, March 29, 2023. Before his coronation in May 2023, the British King and his royal wife will visit Germany for three days .(Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa via AP)

Britain’s King Charles III stands in front of the plane after arriving at BER Airport in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday, March 29, 2023. (Britta Pedersen/dpa via AP)

Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, left, shakes hand with Britain’s King Charles III, centre, and Camilla, the Queen Consort, during the State Banquet in Berlin, Wednesday, March 29, 2023. King Charles III arrived Wednesday for a three-day official visit to Germany. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader, Pool))

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, right, his wife Elke Buedenbender, left, Britain’s King Charles III, 2nd right, and Camilla, the Queen Consort, stand in front of the Bellevue Palace in Berlin, Wednesday, March 29, 2023. King Charles III arrived Wednesday for a three-day official visit to Germany. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, left, his wife Elke Buedenbender, right, Britain’s King Charles III, 2nd left, and Camilla, the Queen Consort, stand together prior to the State Banquet in Berlin, Wednesday, March 29, 2023. King Charles III arrived Wednesday for a three-day official visit to Germany. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader, Pool))

Britain’s King Charles III, and Camilla, the Queen Consort, stand together prior to the State Banquet in the Bellevue Palace in Berlin, Wednesday, March 29, 2023. King Charles III arrived Wednesday for a three-day official visit to Germany. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader, Pool))

BERLIN (AP) — King Charles III arrived in Berlin on Wednesday for his first foreign trip as Britain’s monarch, hoping to improve the U.K.'s relations with the European Union and show he can win hearts and minds abroad, just as his mother did for seven decades.

Charles and Camilla, the queen consort, landed at Berlin’s government airport in the early afternoon. The king, dressed in a black coat, and his wife, in a light blue coat and a feather-trimmed teal hat worn at a jaunty angle, paused at the top of their plane’s stairs to receive a 21-gun salute as two military jets performed a flyover.

The royal couple said in a joint statement, released on their official Twitter account, that it was a “great joy” to be able to develop the “longstanding friendship between our two nations.”

An hour later, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his wife, Elke Buedenbender, welcomed them with military honors at the German capital’s historic Brandenburg Gate.

Soldiers hoisted the British and German flags as the national anthems were played. Steinmeier and Charles then strolled past the cheering, flag-waving crowd, shaking hands and chatting briefly with people.

Some took close-up pictures on their phones as Charles and Camilla approached, while others gave them flower bouquets. One woman handed Charles a gift bag. Journalists and security personnel trailed the royal couple and their German hosts as they made their way back to their motorcade.

Charles, 74, who ascended the throne after the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September , is set to be crowned on May 6 . As Britain’s head of state, the king meets weekly with the prime minister and retains his mother’s role as leader of the Commonwealth.

He had initially planned to visit France before heading to Germany, but the first leg of his trip was canceled due to massive protests over the French government’s efforts to raise the country’s retirement age by two years.

Billed as a multi-day tour of the EU’s two biggest countries, the trip was designed to underscore British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s efforts to rebuild relations with the bloc after six years of arguments over Brexit and highlight the countries’ shared history as they work together to combat Russian aggression in Ukraine.

Now everything rests on Germany, where the king faces the first big test of whether he can be an effective conduit for the “soft power” the House of Windsor has traditionally wielded, helping Britain pursue its geopolitical goals through the glitz and glamour of a 1,000-year-old monarchy.

Highlighting the diplomatic importance of the trip, Charles was accompanied by Britain’s Foreign Secretary, James Cleverley.

Charles, a former naval officer who is the first British monarch to earn a university degree, is expected to insert heft where his glamorous mother once wielded star power.

During an afternoon reception and again at a white tie evening banquet at Palace Bellevue, the German president’s official residence, Steinmeier remarked on the significance of Charles’s first visit taking him to Berlin, calling it “a wonderful personal gesture and at the same time an important sign for German-British relations.”

Steinmeier noted that Britain began the tortuous process of leaving the EU on March 29, 2017.

“For me personally, this was a sad day,” he said. “Today, exactly six years later, we open a new chapter.”

Steinmeier paid tribute to Charles’ mother Elizabeth, stressing how much she had done to foster German-British ties.

“Your family stands for continuity, for stability, particularly in times of change,” he said, noting that Charles, too, had visited Germany more than 40 times as a prince.

It was a subject picked up by Charles, who said the countries’ friendship was of great importance to his mother, who enjoyed immense popularity in Germany.

“The relationship between Germany and the United Kingdom matters greatly to me too,” he said. “I am more convinced than ever of its enduring value to us all.”

“It means so much to us that my wife and I could come to Germany for this very first overseas tour of my reign,” said Charles. “I can only assure you that throughout the time that is granted to me as King, I will do all I can to strengthen the connections between us.”

Switching from English to near-flawless German, Charles insisted: “Our ties will become even stronger, I’m convinced of that, if we work together for a sustainable future in prosperity and security.”

The banquet was attended by guests including former Chancellor Angela Merkel and scientist Ozlem Tureci, who co-founded the German company BioNTech that developed the first widely approved coronavirus vaccine.

On Thursday, the king is scheduled to give a speech to the Bundestag, Germany’s parliament. He will also meet Chancellor Olaf Scholz, talk to Ukrainian refugees, and meet with British and Germany military personnel who are working together on joint projects. In the afternoon he will visit an organic farm outside of Berlin.

The royal couple plan to go to Hamburg on Friday, where they will visit the Kindertransport memorial for Jewish children who fled from Germany to Britain during the Third Reich, and attend a green energy event before returning to the U.K.

The king was urged to make the trip by Sunak, who during his first six months in office negotiated a settlement to the long-running dispute over post-Brexit trading rules for Northern Ireland and reached a deal with France to combat the people smugglers ferrying migrants across the English Channel in small boats. Sunak hopes goodwill created by a royal visit can help pave the way for progress on other issues, including Britain’s return to an EU program that funds scientific research across Europe.

Britain’s senior royals are among the most recognizable people on the planet. While their formal powers are strictly limited by law and tradition, they draw attention from the media and the public partly because of the historic ceremonies and regalia that accompany them — and also because the public is fascinated by their personal lives.

Elizabeth’s influence stemmed in part from the fact that she made more than 100 state visits during her 70 years on the throne, meeting presidents and prime ministers around the world in a reign that lasted from the Cold War to the information age.

Politicians were eager to meet the monarch for tea, if for no other reason than she’d been around so long.

Kirka reported from London.

State visit to Germany: Queen Consort wears Queen Victoria’s poignant wedding day brooch to end historic trip

By Stephanie Bridger-Linning

State visit to Germany: The Queen Consort wears Queen Victoria's brooch in Hamburg

King Charles III and the Queen Consort have bid farewell to Germany, bringing to an end the first state visit of their reign. Following a busy two days in Berlin, the royal couple arrived in Hamburg on Friday where they carried out a whirlwind schedule of engagements. 

Camilla, the Queen Consort wore the spectacular Greville Tiara for the state banquet at Bellevue Palace

It started with a poignant moment of reflection at the Kindertransport Memorial. To mark the 85th anniversary of the first Kindertransporte, the King and Queen Consort heard from the British Honorary Consul, a second-generation survivor, and the Chair of the Kindertransporte Organisation Germany, about the remarkable UK-led rescue mission in 1938 to save 10,000 children by granting them entry to the UK. Later, the couple visited the St. Nikolai Memorial, the remains of a church which was destroyed when the Allies bombed the city during the Second World War. His Majesty and the President laid wreaths during a short ceremony of remembrance. 

The King and Queen Consort at the farewell reception in Hamburg

By Isaac Bickerstaff

By Harriet Johnston

The King and Queen Consort were given a formal welcome by the Mayor of Hamburg. The King learned more about the port of Hamburg’s adoption of green technologies, while Camilla visited a local elementary school. The day ended with a celebratory reception with Hamburg residents and members of the local British community, accompanied by the President and Frau Büdenbender, marking the close of their state visit. 

This week in 1959, Princess Dorothea of Hesse was married to Prince Friedrich of Windisch-Graetz in a German royal wedding

By Natasha Leake

The Queen Consort was typically polished in a navy blue outfit by Anna Valentine but all eyes were on her dramatic choice of brooch: a sapphire and diamond creation that was a wedding gift from Prince Albert to his bride, Queen Victoria. Albert was known for his creative flair and delighted in commissioning jewels for his bride to wear. On this occasion, the brooch was crafted by Garrard. It was so loved by Queen Victoria that she chose to wear it on her wedding day – and regularly donned the accessory in the years that followed. It was often worn by Queen Elizabeth II on daytime engagements, The Court Jeweller notes.

King Charles III and the Queen Consort at the Bundestag on Thursday

The state visit to Germany was designed to emphasise and strengthen the bond between the UK and her European neighbour in the post-Brexit era. The honour of hosting the King and Queen’s first state visit of their reign had been due to fall to France, but this portion of the itinerary was delayed due to the ongoing anti-pension reform protests gripping the country. 

South African businessman Michael Lewis, who wed Lady Kitty Spencer in 2021, can be seen in the background of Lady Eliza’s photo

The three-day trip started on Wednesday afternoon. Stepping off the plane at Berlin Brandenburg Airport, the Queen Consort looked elegant in a blue coat designed by Bruce Oldfield (who has made her coronation dress), which she paired with a hat by trusted royal milliner Philip Treacy. The King and Queen were honoured with a 21-gun salute and military fly-past before being given a ceremonial welcome by President Steinmeier and Frau Büdenbender at the Brandenburg Gate. 

The foursome posed for photographs and were treated to renditions of both the German and British national anthems before King Charles and President Steinmeier inspected the troops. 

The Queen Consort on a visit to a market on Thursday

The King and Queen Consort on the visit on Thursday morning

The next stop was Schloss Bellevue where Charles and Camilla were once again greeted by President Steinmeier and Ms Büdenbender. Their Majesties signed the Golden Book and the president delivered an address hailing the start of a ‘new chapter’. ‘Today, on the day six years ago when Britain began its exit from the European Union, we are opening a new chapter in our relations,’ the German president said, according to BBC News . King Charles joined the president in planting a tree and attended a sustainability reception at the official residence. 

Lady Margarita Armstrong-Jones is the most prominent member of the Royal Family you’ve never met. Rediscover her exclusive from the May issue of Tatler on the anniversary of Princess Margaret’s birth

By Catherine Ostler

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz welcomes King Charles III at the Chancellery

The day ended on a glittering note with a state banquet at Bellevue Palace. Elegantly attired in an embroidered black dress by favourite designer Bruce Oldfield, Camilla complemented the garment’s intricate, foliage-inspired silver thread-work with show-stopping diamonds. In a nod to her late mother-in-law, the Queen Consort opted for the City of London Fringe Necklace, which was gifted to the then Princess Elizabeth on her wedding in 1947. The Queen Consort also added a pair of diamond earrings and wore the Garter Star, the Grand Cross (Special Class) of the Federal Order of Merit (given to her today by the German president), and the Royal Family Order of Queen Elizabeth II. 

Painted in oils by artist Alastair Barford, the portrait is the first of King Charles since the start of his reign

King Charles and the Queen Consort

King Charles at the state banquet

The crowning moment of the look was the diamond diadem, which once belonged to King Charles’s beloved grandmother the   Queen Mother, who died 21 years ago today . The Greville Tiara , also known as the Boucheron Honeycomb Tiara, was made by the royal-approved jeweller for Dame Margaret Greville, an early 20th century society swan and philanthropist who was a close friend of Queen Mary, wife of King George V . King Charles delivered a speech which echoed the sentiments of today’s address.

Tuesday started with a meeting between the King and Chancellor Scholz at the Federal Chancellery building. He and Camilla then visited Wittenbergplaztz Food Market where they met local officials and business owners and learned about the history of the market.

First Lady Elke Büdenbender, the Queen Consort, King Charles III and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier at the Brandenburg Gate 

The King became the first member of the Royal Family to address the Bundestag. He delivered a speech in which he celebrated the deep historical bonds and longstanding links between Germany and the UK. ‘Today, it gives me particular pride to be with you once again, now as King, and to renew the special bond between our two countries,’ he said. ‘This friendship meant so much to my beloved Mother, the late Queen, who often spoke of the 15 official visits she made to Germany, including her five state visits.

By Chandler Tregaskes

‘The first of those, in 1965, came when our continent was still deeply scarred by war, and the trauma of conflict. Hers was the wartime generation, and like my father, the Queen had served in uniform. That my parents’ 11-day tour of Germany should prove to be a pivotal moment in the reconciliation between our nations was, therefore, a matter of great personal significance to them both.

‘I can hardly begin to express the pride I feel in the strength of the partnership between our two countries. Germany, her people and distinctive culture have made such a profound impact on me over so many of my previous visits.  Since I first came to Germany when I was just 13 years old, I have grown to become familiar with the different corners of this remarkable land.’ 

The Queen Consort looked elegant in a blue coat designed by Bruce Oldfield

Following the visit to the German Bundestag, the whirlwind schedule continued with a visit by the King to Tegel Refugee Centre where he was shown around by organisations that are supporting vulnerable refugees. Meanwhile, the Queen Consort learned about the work of Refugio House community centre – a meeting place for locals and new Berlin residents, including refugees. Later, the King visited a Joint Military Unit at Finowfurt before ending the day with an outing to Brodowin Farm, a flagship organic farm. 

The state visit to Germany marks the King’s 29th official visit to the country. Her Majesty has undertaken three official visits to Germany. Their Majesties last visited Berlin in 2020.

King Charles III and the Queen Consort arrive in Germany

By Dora Davies-Evitt

By Isaac Zamet

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• International
• Foreign affairs

His Majesty The King's speech at the German Bundestag

His Majesty King Charles III spoke to German parliamentarians during his 2023 state visit to Germany, the first state visit abroad for the King and Queen Consort.

Delivered in German:

Mr President, President of the Bundestag, Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a great honour to be here today. It means a great deal to both my wife and myself that we have been invited to Germany on my first overseas tour as Sovereign, and it is a particular honour to be here with you where I wish to renew the pledge of friendship between our nations. There could be few better places to do so than in this building which, in its very stones, tells the history of the twentieth century. It is, in itself, a demonstration of what binds our two countries. Burnt in 1933, severely damaged in 1945, in the 1990s it was rebuilt by a British architect to be the Parliament of a re-united democratic Germany; its iconic glass dome a symbol of the transparency and accountability of parliament, from which the citizens, looking down, can literally oversee their politicians at work. Democracy in action!

My wife and I last had the honour of joining you in this chamber in November 2020, on the occasion of Volkstrauertag. Seventy-five years after the Second World War, it was of great importance to me to stand with Germans in honouring all victims of war and tyranny, and to be the first members of my family to participate in those deeply moving commemorations.

That you invited us to join you on that occasion showed how far the United Kingdom and Germany had travelled together in friendship and in peace – just as was demonstrated so powerfully 2 years before, by your presence in London, Mr President, for the centenary of the end of the First World War.

Delivered in English:

Today, it gives me particular pride to be with you once again, now as King, and to renew the special bond of friendship between our countries.

This friendship meant so much to my beloved Mother, The late Queen, who often spoke of the 15 official visits she made to Germany, including her 5 state visits.

The first of those, in 1965, came when our continent was still deeply scarred by war, and the trauma of conflict. Hers was the wartime generation, and like my father, The Queen had served in uniform. That my parents’ 11-day tour of Germany should prove to be a pivotal moment in the reconciliation between our nations was, therefore, a matter of great personal significance to them both.

My Mother understood the immense achievement that reconciliation represented, and in returning to Germany time and again, she was determined to play her own part. It is, perhaps, for this reason that Her late Majesty won a particular place in the affection of the German people.

My family and I were so deeply touched by the reaction in Germany to my Mother’s death. The tributes offered in this chamber, the Union Flag projected onto the Brandenburg Gate, and the thousands of messages in condolence books across the country, offered a tremendous comfort in our time of grief. On behalf of my entire family, I can only offer our heartfelt thanks for the extraordinary kindness that the people of Germany showed to us.

Mr President, President of the Bundestag, since I last spoke in this building the scourge of war is back in Europe. The unprovoked invasion of Ukraine has inflicted the most unimaginable suffering on so many innocent people. Countless lives have been destroyed; freedom and human dignity have been trampled in the most brutal way. The security of Europe has been threatened, together with our democratic values.

The world has watched in horror – but we have not stood by. Even as we abhor the appalling scenes of destruction, we can take heart from our unity – in defence of Ukraine, of peace and freedom.

Germany and the United Kingdom have shown vital leadership. As Europe’s 2 largest donors to Ukraine, we have responded with taking decisions which might previously have seemed unimaginable. Germany’s decision to send such significant military support to Ukraine is remarkably courageous, important and appreciated.

Today, our pilots are flying side-by-side on joint operations over our Baltic allies. Here, in Germany, our armies have established a joint Amphibious Engineer Battalion, which I will visit later today. Germany is the only nation in the world with which the United Kingdom has such a joint unit, an extraordinary testament to the partnership we enjoy.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I can hardly begin to express the pride I feel in the strength of the partnership between our 2 countries. Germany, her people and distinctive culture have made such a profound impact on me over so many of my previous visits. Since I first came to Germany when I was just 13 years old, I have grown to become familiar with the different corners of this remarkable land.

Like many British people, I have close personal ties here – in my case, cherished family relationships and associations that go back generations. For all of us, however, there are countless points of connection and common experience in the British-German story, which has unfolded over nearly 2 millennia.

Throughout the Middle Ages, the renowned Hanseatic League traded goods from Lübeck and Hamburg to ports up and down the English coast, establishing a trading partnership which underpins our shared prosperity to this day.

Where goods travelled, ideas travelled too. Our people came to be inspired by each other’s example.

We developed a profound admiration of one another’s literature and music, and it is not surprising, therefore, that German was the first language into which Shakespeare was translated. The first Shakespeare Association in the world was established in 1864 – not in England, but in Weimar.

In just a few weeks’ time, the astonishing music of Georg Friedrich Handel – who was born a German, and died British – will once again soar through Westminster Abbey at the Coronation, just as it has at every Coronation since that of my 7 times great grandfather, King George II, in 1727.

Throughout the centuries, people have travelled back and forth between our lands. In the 19th century, many Britons fell in love with Germany whilst on the ‘Grand Tour’. William Turner’s mesmerising paintings of the Rhine sparked in his countrymen the ambition to see those landscapes for themselves – a demand later met by Thomas Cook, the pioneer of tourism, who would organise his first foreign trip along the Rhine, with stops at Cologne, Frankfurt, Heidelberg and Baden-Baden.

Today millions of Britons visit Germany each year, just as millions of Germans travel to our shores. Britons come to admire Berlin’s vibrant culture and nightlife, making up Europe’s largest visitor group to this wonderful city. So we are still admiring of each other’s culture; dependent upon each other’s economies; and inspired by each other’s ideas. More recent generations may think as readily of The Beatles or Kraftwerk, as they do of Brahms or Byron, but the web of cultural connections is as strong as ever.

And perhaps most importantly, for the last 50 years we have laughed together – both at each other, and with each other. And while Miss Sophie’s “The same procedure as every year, James?” does not – I hope – give a very accurate impression of modern Britain, it is, I know, an integral part of a German Happy New Year. In Britain, Germany’s comedy ambassador Henning Wehn has given us an understanding of German quirks, as Monty Python brought our own here. Like all old friends at moments, the warmth of our relationship allows a small smile at each other’s expense.

In some areas there are rivalries, of course, and I think especially of our encounters on the football pitch.

Against this backdrop, it was particularly special last year that the England women’s football team – the Lionesses – could win the Euros against Germany last year. Beyond their sporting success, both teams have promoted gender equality in such an impressive way. In so doing, they inspired a generation – in Britain, Germany and far beyond.

This is just one example of how our countries, together, can offer a compelling example to the world. There are, I am delighted to say, very many more. Faced with so many shared challenges, the United Kingdom and Germany are together providing leadership to secure our shared future.

Today, the United Kingdom and Germany are Europe’s 2 largest producers of power from offshore wind. Many German firms are involved in the production and erection of turbines off the British coast. The North Sea, across which our people have travelled and traded for generations, is soon to be the site of a new interconnector allowing us directly to trade electricity.

Our countries are both accelerating the expansion of our hydrogen economies, the fuel which could transform our future and I am looking forward to seeing Hamburg’s plans to use hydrogen in its efforts to become a fully sustainable port.

These innovations are vital in combatting the existential challenge of climate change and global warming which confronts us all, and as such I was delighted to meet participants of the Berlin Energy Transition Dialogue yesterday to hear how countries are accelerating this transition.

For a long time, British and German scientific research has been leading the way. Our countries rank in the top 2 in Europe for founding successful new technology start-ups. Our universities and research institutions collaborate more often with each other than any other two countries in Europe.

This helps to explain why a Berlin-based company has pioneered in London the use of lampposts for electric vehicle charging points, while in Berlin you can book a ride in a fully electric, London-style taxi.

Internationally, too, we are working closely together. We helped initiate the Just Energy Transition Partnership with South Africa at the climate conference in Glasgow. A further such partnership with Indonesia was the result of much work during Germany’s G7 Presidency.

This essential partnership between our 2 countries is built of the expertise, dedication and ingenuity of countless people in both Germany and the United Kingdom. To them all, I can only offer my sincere and heartfelt gratitude.

Tomorrow, we will once again stand with the people of Germany in solemn remembrance. In Hamburg, I will pay my respects at the memorial to the Kindertransporte, which, 85 years ago, saved the lives of more than 10,000 Jewish children from Nazism, and gave them safe passage to new lives in Britain. I will also join you, Mr President, and you, First Mayor Tschentscher, in remembering those who perished in the Allied bombing of Hamburg in 1943.

Heeding the lessons of the past is our sacred responsibility, but it can only be fully discharged through a commitment to our shared future. Together we must be vigilant against threats to our values and freedoms, and resolute in our determination to confront them. Together we must strive for the security, prosperity and wellbeing that our people deserve.

In the long and remarkable story of our 2 countries, there are many chapters yet unwritten. Let us fill these with the restless pursuit of a better tomorrow. The legacy of our past, and the great promise of our future, demand nothing less. Thank you for your attention.

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Travel advisory july 26, 2023, germany - level 2: exercise increased caution.

Reissued with obsolete COVID-19 page links removed.

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Virginia Politics | Youngkin will visit Europe for his third…

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Virginia politics | youngkin will visit europe for his third international trade mission as governor.

RICHMOND (AP) — Glenn Youngkin will visit Germany, Denmark, Finland and Switzerland next week for his third international trade mission as Virginia governor.

Youngkin, a Republican, will meet with Finland’s president , government officials, strategic business associations, company executives and global industry leaders “to further strengthen Virginia’s economic and cultural connections,” his press office said Wednesday as it announced his itinerary.

“This economic development trade mission with strong European partners will build on business relations, our shared priorities and highlight the Commonwealth’s capabilities. Virginia’s strong workforce, incredible business environment, robust transportation system and world-class education institutions make the Commonwealth uniquely positioned to attract businesses around the globe,” Youngkin said in a statement.

The governor and others in the Virginia delegation will depart Sunday and travel through May 3.

Virginia prides itself on a business-friendly reputation , and governors of both parties have routinely made international trade missions. Youngkin is a former private equity executive who, like other governors, has made business recruitment a vocal priority.

Last year, Youngkin traveled to France to visit the gravesites of Virginia service members killed during World War II’s D-Day invasion and attend an international air show, which he touted as a chance to boost the state’s aerospace industry .

In April 2023, he led a trade mission to Asia that included a politically sensitive meeting with the president of Taiwan.

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Virginia Politics | Youngkin, Virginia lawmakers agree to fresh start for budget, less consensus on bills

Virginia Politics | General Assembly reconvenes Wednesday to take up Youngkin’s vetoes and budget amendments

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Germany arrests three on suspicion of spying for China, as Britain charges two

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Thursday, 25 Apr 2024

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In Europe, two Chinese spying scandals were developing on Monday, adding to deep concerns over Beijing’s alleged espionage activities on the continent.

Early in the day, federal prosecutors announced that three German nationals had been arrested on “strong suspicion” of spying for Chinese intelligence services.

Hours later, British authorities charged two men under the Official Secrets Act over allegedly spying for China. This case concerns Christopher Cash, a parliamentary researcher whose arrest last March made headlines.

Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge , our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team.

The double whammy comes amid rising anxiety in some European capitals over the threat of Chinese surveillance practices and as authorities mull how to counter foreign interference in democratic institutions, industry and academia.

“We are aware of the significant threat posed by Chinese espionage in business, industry and science,” said Nancy Faeser, the German interior minister, in a statement.

In Germany , the suspects are accused of gathering sensitive industrial data with military uses, with a view to “expanding China’s maritime combat power”, the prosecutor said in a statement.

The arrest warrant alleges that one of the people, designated as Thomas R., was acting as an agent of Beijing’s state security ministry – its secret police service – and charged with obtaining information on “innovative technologies that could be used militarily”.

The news comes on the heels of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz ’s state visit to China last week during which he pushed Chinese President Xi Jinping on economic concerns, even while pledging to bolster trade relations.

It also emerges amid a European debate on economic security, partly predicated on the desire to prevent hi-tech goods from falling into the hands of China’s military .

Germany’s China shock: as Scholz leaves Beijing, alarm raised about economic ties

Thomas R. was said to have enlisted a couple in the German city of Düsseldorf to gather technological intelligence. Through “Herwig F. and Ina F.”, the first suspect was able to collaborate with the German science and research sectors.

“The accused are strongly suspected of having worked for a Chinese secret service since a point in time that cannot be precisely determined before June 2022,” the prosecutor’s statement read.

They stand accused of forging a cooperation agreement with a German university for the purpose of transferring sensitive scientific information.

This included preparing a study for a “Chinese contractual partner on state-of-the-art machine parts that are also important for the operation of powerful ship engines, for example, in combat ships”, the statement added.

“Behind the Chinese contractual partner was the MSS employee from whom Thomas R. received his orders,” it continued, referring to the Beijing ministry. “The project was financed by Chinese state authorities.

“At the time of their arrest, the accused were in further negotiations about research projects that could be useful for expanding China’s maritime combat power.”

They are also alleged to have bought a “special laser from Germany” on behalf of Beijing’s state security ministry, and exporting it to China without seeking approval under the EU’s dual-use laws governing trade of the instrument.

The three were scheduled to appear before Germany’s Federal Court of Justice on Monday and Tuesday. They were also to be issued arrest warrants and adjudicated on the terms of their pre-trial detention.

“The three arrests for alleged espionage for a Chinese intelligence service are a great success for our counter-espionage efforts,” said Faeser, the German minister.

‘Disaster, regrettable’: why some are criticising German leader’s China trip

In Britain , it was announced on Monday that ex-researcher Cash would appear in court on Friday alongside a second man, Christopher Berry.

Cash had been an aide to Alicia Kearns, head of the British parliament’s foreign affairs committee, and previously worked for the China Research Group, an influential think tank launched by Tom Tugendhat, now the security minister.

According to a statement from the Crown Prosecution Service, the men are accused of working between January 2022 and February 2023 to “obtain, collect, record, publish or communicate ... articles, notes, documents or information which were calculated to be, might be or were intended to be, directly or indirectly, useful to an enemy”.

In a statement, the Chinese embassy in London called the allegations “completely fabricated” and “malicious slander”, and urged Britain to “stop anti-China political manipulation”.

UK and US sanction Chinese entities for ‘malicious cyber activity’

The German and British cases could heighten suspicions of Chinese espionage activity in Europe.

Last month, for the first time in three years, the British government slapped sanctions on Chinese state-affiliated entities. The decision came in response to alleged “malicious cyber activity” directed at members of parliament.

British intelligence services accused China’s state-affiliated APT31 of “conducting reconnaissance activity” against a group of lawmakers who were “prominent in calling out the malign activity of China” in 2021, the government said on Monday.

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• China has no ‘fundamental’ conflict of interest with Germany, Xi Jinping tells Olaf Scholz
• UK to ban foreign state ownership of British newspapers

For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app . Copyright 2024.

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Congress passes bill that could unlock billions in frozen Russian assets for Ukraine

The House passed a foreign aid package Saturday as well as what's called the REPO Act, which would allow the Biden administration to confiscate billions of dollars’ worth of Russian assets sitting in U.S. banks and transfer them to Ukraine for reconstruction.

“By delivering urgently needed aid to Ukraine, the United States has reasserted itself as the leader of the free world and as a reliable partner to its allies," Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., said on social media .  "The US has a singular obligation to help freedom fighters fight for their freedom, and nowhere more so than in Ukraine, whose self-defense against Putin’s aggression must prevail."

The REPO Act, which would authorize Biden to confiscate the frozen Russian assets in U.S. banks and transfer them to a special fund for Ukraine, is part of the foreign aid package that was stalled for months in the House. More than $6 billion of the $300 billion in frozen Russian assets are sitting in U.S. banks. Most of the $300 billion in assets are in Germany, France and Belgium.

On Wednesday, House Speaker Mike Johnson , R-La., released the package that would include tens of billions of dollars in aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. 

“I’m going to a allow an opportunity for every single member of the House to vote their conscience and their will on this,” Johnson told reporters, defending his decision to allow the vote to go forward Saturday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his government invested heavily in the euro and the dollar over the years to keep the ruble stable, planting $300 billion worth of foreign currency reserves. 

But in early 2022, following Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, all of the Group of Seven countries — the U.S., U.K., Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan — banded together and froze all of the $300 billion of Russian foreign currency reserves held in banks in those countries, most of it in Europe.

“The Russians were surprised when, right after the war started, the Europeans took the exact same measures as the United States, freezing all of the reserves that were there, and the Japanese did the same, which is why most of Russia’s reserves today are frozen in Western banks,” said Chris Miller, a professor at the Fletcher School of global affairs at Tufts University.

The idea to confiscate the Russian assets, which emerged last year, has been hotly contested by economists and foreign policy experts.

In a recent op-ed in The New York Times, contributing opinion writer Christopher Caldwell argued that it’s a “terrible idea” to confiscate the Russian funds because other countries might stop investing in the U.S., which could negatively affect the economy in the long run.

“This could weaken the dollar’s status as the main global reserve currency. The dollar is probably the most valuable strategic asset the United States has,” Caldwell argued.

Michael McFaul, the former U.S. ambassador to Russia who has been lobbying for the REPO Act for months, clapped back at Caldwell’s assertion and said the use of Russian assets for Ukraine would send an important message to autocratic nations around the world.  

“There are those that say, 'Well, this will hurt the dollar. It’s bad for our reputation.' I have a pushback to that. I don’t want criminals investing in American Treasury bonds,” McFaul said.

One of the diplomatic challenges would be to persuade the other G7 countries to do the same. While the U.K. is on board with the idea, France and Germany have been reluctant. 

“We’re making good progress in how to access that funds on an agreed basis that I think we can take forward to the G7,” U.K. Foreign Minister David Cameron told reporters April 9.

Amid the diplomatic maneuverings, one group in the background has been persistently applying pressure on members of Congress, the White House and G7 countries to move forward with the idea of confiscating the funds.

The Renew Democracy Initiative, a Washington D.C.-based nonprofit organization promoting democracy and American interest overseas, sent a letter Friday urging Johnson and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., to work together to get the REPO Act passed. 

“Your leadership through legislative action will increase the likelihood that the administration does what is necessary to confiscate Putin’s billions,” wrote Chairman Garry Kasparov and CEO Uriel Epshtein.

In an interview Friday, Epshtein said he believes it will take U.S. action to bring about a G7 collaboration to confiscate the funds.

“Other G7 countries will only act to confiscate Russian assets if the U.S. leads,” he Epshtein.

Anna Schecter is a senior producer in the NBC News Investigations Unit.

Natasha Lebedeva is NBC's Senior Director for International Affairs, based in Washington.

Matt Bradley is a London-based foreign correspondent for NBC News and MSNBC.

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Live updates, pro-terror radical launched 2-hour anti-israel tirade at columbia university event weeks before protests exploded: ‘nothing wrong with being a hamas fighter’.

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Radical anti-Israel activists told Columbia students, “There is nothing wrong with being a fighter in Hamas” — weeks before the campus exploded in pro-Palestinian protests.

In a two-hour tirade to the hardest core of anti-Israeli activists at Columbia and its sister college, Barnard, Charlotte Kates, international coordinator of Samidoun, the Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network, said, “These are the people who are on the front lines defending Palestine and fighting for its liberation.”

Kates — who was referring to a terrorist organization responsible for the mass murder of hundreds of Israelis on October 7 — and her husband, Khaled Barakat, spoke to members of the Columbia University Apartheid Divest Group in a seminar called “Resistance 101.”

Barakat and Kates counseled the Columbia students during the “Resistance 101” presentation to ignore the press and keep demonstrating.

“Every demonstration in New York matters more than all this nonsense that happens in mainstream media,” Barakat told them. “Your work is so important to the resistance in Gaza, more than ever.”

Kates and Barakat represented themselves as speaking on behalf of Samidoun, the “Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network,” at the meeting.

In reality, Barakat is a senior member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), which is a designated terrorist organization responsible for a string of attacks on Israeli civilians and closely allied to both Hamas and Hezbollah.

Among the outrages for which it has claimed responsibility is a 2014 attack on a Jerusalem synagogue in which attackers armed with meat cleavers  killed four rabbis , three of them Israeli Americans.

The PFLP took part in the October 7 massacres and previously murdered a 17-year-old Israeli girl while she was hiking.

Follow The Post’s coverage of the anti-Israel protests at Columbia University:

• Pro-terror radical launched 2-hour anti-Israel tirade at Columbia University event weeks before protests exploded: ‘Nothing wrong with being a Hamas fighter’
• Anti-Israel protesters urge others to break into ‘platoons’ as Columbia University extends deadline for them to leave
• House Speaker Mike Johnson demands ‘very weak, inept’ Columbia prez Minouche Shafik resign ahead of campus visit
• Rep. Elise Stefanik demands federal funds for Columbia University be revoked in wake of anti-Israel protests

And Samidoun has campaigned for years for the release of Ahmad Sa’adat, the PFLP’s leader who oversaw years of murderous attacks, some of them suicide bombings. 

While lecturing the students at the $60,000-a-year Ivy League college on “resistance,” Barakat and Kates did not discuss the reality of life in the Gaza Strip, where Hamas persecuted LGBT Palestinians and killed its enemies without even the pretense of trials.

Barakat also failed to mention that he was banned from entering Germany for years in 2020 for his antisemitic rants.

“The Israelis and the Nazis are almost identical in terms of the way they look at the victim,” Barakat said in 2013, according to Middle East Media and Research Institute, a Washington-based think tank, a slur which was followed by the German government’s ban.

Barakat and Kates, an American who now lives in Vancouver, Canada, and who has a law degree from Rutgers, have not just appeared virtually at Columbia.

In November, Kates was part of a “teach-in” at CUNY in which she praised the Oct. 7 pogrom as a “pivotal” moment for Hamas’ military wing, according to a social media post.

Antisemitism controversy at Columbia University: Key events

• Columbia University president Minouche Shafik  was accused of “gross negligence” while testifying before Congress. Shafik refused to say if the phrase “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” is antisemitic.
• More than 100 Columbia professors signed a letter defending students who support the “military action” by Hamas.
• Antisemitic posters depicting Israel as a skunk appeared on campus — which experts liken to a propaganda poster used by the Nazis in World War II.
• Radical anti-Israel activists Charlotte Kates and Khaled Barakat told Columbia students a two-hour tirade , “There is nothing wrong with being a fighter in Hamas” in a seminar called “Resistance 101″ — weeks before the campus exploded in pro-Palestinian protests.
• Columbia students erected 60 tents on campus to demand that the university divest from Israel.
• More than 100 other protesters were arrested after Shafik announced the campus’s closure.
• Israel-born professor Shai Davidai was barred from campus after he attempted to lead a pro-Jewish rally.
• Every New York House GOP lawmaker demanded that Shafik resign immediately .
• Columbia University’s Jewish Alumni Association also called for Shafik’s resignation .

The “Resistance 101” session was organized by students who have become key figures in the mass protest, which began last Thursday and which has left Jewish students saying they felt unsafe.

The ubiquitous pro-Palestinian activist Nerdeen Kiswani , founder of Within Our Lifetime, one of the sponsors of the event, said during the event that she was “sitting in Columbia University.”

Within Our Lifetime has officially endorsed the Oct. 7 attack on Israel and vocally supported Hamas at the frequent rallies it has staged in New York City since the attack.

The group that invited the terror group member, Columbia University Apartheid Divest, is not officially affiliated with the college.

It grew out of Students for Justice in Palestine, which was suspended by the college in November last year. 

Unlike many colleges, Columbia’s student groups do not require sponsorship by a member of the faculty. 

However, the college did — at least initially — act against some of the organizers of “Resistance 101,” suspending them for holding an unauthorized event after denying permission for it to be held at the Barnard Center for Research on Women.

It is unclear whether the student group acknowledged it was inviting a member of a proscribed terrorist group.

Three of the suspended students can be named by The Post as postgraduate social work student Aidan Parisi, 27; senior Maryam Alwan, 21, who is studying comparative literature; and Cameron Jones, 19, of Jewish Voice for Peace, who will graduate in 2026. 

There is uncertainty on the exact number of students who were suspended.  The Columbia Spectator said  six had been disciplined but four had been readmitted, though on Tuesday, a lawyer for the students, Stanley Cohen,  told the Village Sun  the total was 16, of whom 12 had their suspensions lifted.

Parisi, who uses they/them pronouns, is from Washington, DC, and previously studied at the University of California, San Jose.

When The Post contacted Parisi for comment, Parisi called back to say we had no right to contact them and accused The Post of “stalking.” Parisi declined to comment on supporting the Palestinian movement even though it is not kind to LGBTQIA people.

“What these universities don’t understand is that you can suspend us, evict us, fire us, arrest us, do whatever to us, but we will not stop fighting for Palestine,”  Parisi posted on X — where their handle is “It’s Aidan bitch” Monday.  “Your repression has only made our commitment to liberation stronger. With Palestine as our compass, we will never fail.”

Alwan, who could not be reached for comment, is Palestinian American, and was also unbowed, despite being arrested.

“Columbia University may have devolved into a fascist police state, but it cannot arrest our joy,” she posted after being removed from the Columbia lawn by the NYPD last week.

Jones, a sophomore in history and urban studies, calls himself a “lead organizer” with the Jewish Voice for Peace. He went to Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts in Manhattan and was among the students arrested last week.

“As a Jewish person, I have immense privilege,”  Jones told Al Jazeera earlier this year . “So even though I may be sacrificing my future, if I know I’m making even a tiny, tiny percent difference in the lives of the Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, I will continue fighting until my last breath.”

Other key organizers of the group behind “Resistance 101” were Catherine Elias, a graduate student at the School of International and Public Affairs, who told  Hyperallergic last week as the NYPD moved in on the Columbia campus and arrested more than 100 protesters that “we have created this encampment in honor of the martyrs in Gaza, following in the footsteps of all those before us.”

It is unclear if she was suspended.

A second social work postgraduate, Layla Saliba, was also an organizer of the Columbia University Apartheid Divest group.

Despite Jewish students describing their fear at the anti-Israel protests, she  posted on X , “like I’m not even scary i’m just a tired grad student.”

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The Crackdown on Student Protesters

Columbia university is at the center of a growing showdown over the war in gaza and the limits of free speech..

Hosted by Michael Barbaro

Featuring Nicholas Fandos

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Columbia University has become the epicenter of a growing showdown between student protesters, college administrators and Congress over the war in Gaza and the limits of free speech.

Nicholas Fandos, who covers New York politics and government for The Times, walks us through the intense week at the university. And Isabella Ramírez, the editor in chief of Columbia’s undergraduate newspaper, explains what it has all looked like to a student on campus.

On today’s episode

Nicholas Fandos , who covers New York politics and government for The New York Times

Isabella Ramírez , editor in chief of The Columbia Daily Spectator

Background reading

Inside the week that shook Columbia University .

The protests at the university continued after more than 100 arrests.

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We aim to make transcripts available the next workday after an episode’s publication. You can find them at the top of the page.

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The Daily is made by Rachel Quester, Lynsea Garrison, Clare Toeniskoetter, Paige Cowett, Michael Simon Johnson, Brad Fisher, Chris Wood, Jessica Cheung, Stella Tan, Alexandra Leigh Young, Lisa Chow, Eric Krupke, Marc Georges, Luke Vander Ploeg, M.J. Davis Lin, Dan Powell, Sydney Harper, Mike Benoist, Liz O. Baylen, Asthaa Chaturvedi, Rachelle Bonja, Diana Nguyen, Marion Lozano, Corey Schreppel, Rob Szypko, Elisheba Ittoop, Mooj Zadie, Patricia Willens, Rowan Niemisto, Jody Becker, Rikki Novetsky, John Ketchum, Nina Feldman, Will Reid, Carlos Prieto, Ben Calhoun, Susan Lee, Lexie Diao, Mary Wilson, Alex Stern, Dan Farrell, Sophia Lanman, Shannon Lin, Diane Wong, Devon Taylor, Alyssa Moxley, Summer Thomad, Olivia Natt, Daniel Ramirez and Brendan Klinkenberg.

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Indian States’ Electricity Transition (SET): 2024

Evaluating the preparedness of 21 Indian states to walk the electricity transition pathway.

Saloni Sachdeva Michael

Energy Specialist

Energy Analyst

Neshwin Rodrigues

Electricity Policy Analyst, India

23 April 2024 | 25 min read

The 2024 Indian States’ Electricity Transition (SET) report finds that Gujarat and Karnataka have effectively integrated renewable energy into their power sectors, shown adequate preparedness to further the electricity transition and have robust market enablers to facilitate future growth of clean electricity. The two states’ consistent performance over several different parameters across two iterations of our report highlights their strength when it comes to electricity transition.

States such as Haryana, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab and Rajasthan exhibited considerable progress in certain aspects but the progress has not been consistent across all the dimensions.

At the same time, Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh move more slowly than others again this year, despite the changes to our assessment parameters. They need to prioritise comprehensive strategies and interventions to foster sustainable growth and transition in their power sectors.

We recommend the strengthening of state-level regulatory frameworks and prioritising state-level transition plans and trajectories for broad-based progress towards electricity transition at a subnational level.

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Executive summary

India’s economic growth is fuelling a surge in electricity demand. Last year, with a 6.7% growth in gross domestic product (GDP), India’s electricity demand rose by a similar 7% . Demand is likely to grow at a similar pace of 6.5% from 2024 to 2026, according to the International Energy Agency.   

Given that electricity generation continues to account for nearly half of India’s annual carbon dioxide (CO2 ) emissions (1.18 gigatonnes in 2023), accelerating the transition to cleaner generation sources is imperative for the country to meet both its developmental and climate goals.  

While the central government has already taken several policy measures to foster the electricity transition, states also need to move in the right direction since they have considerable control over regulations and policies. 

The first edition of the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) and Ember’s State Electricity Transition (SET) report in 2023 analysed 16 Indian states to help identify the areas that require action and attention at the state level. This year’s report builds on that work by expanding the scope to 21 states. The report also refined the dimensions and parameters for assessing states to reflect the relevance of the parameters to the current status of states’ electricity transition progress, feedback from stakeholders and data availability.  

The exercise helped us identify some of the consistently top-performing states and those exhibiting signs of structural weakness when it comes to electricity transition.

Gujarat and Karnataka are two states which have been the top performers across both iterations of the report despite a number of changes in the parameters this year. Specifically, in this year’s analysis, the states show that they have effectively integrated renewable energy into their power sectors, have adequate preparedness to further the electricity transition and have robust market enablers to facilitate the future growth of clean electricity. 

On the flip side, states like Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh have lagged behind the others in most parameters across both iterations of the SET report. Although these states are early in their electricity transition journey, poor performance across several parameters over two iterations of this report suggests a structural weakness.

This year we noticed that these states were grappling with challenges to decarbonise their electricity systems, which were inadequately ready to embrace the electricity transition. These states also need to improve their policies and market-enabling mechanisms that can help pave the way for a clean future of their electricity sector. 

One of the striking findings from our analysis for the 2024 report was that several states are exhibiting preparedness to embrace electricity transition, whether through the readiness of their power systems or having in place the right market enablers. However, they still struggle when it comes to the actual decarbonisation of their power systems. 

Delhi and Odisha were the two notable examples in this regard. Despite significant strides in renewable energy infrastructure, Odisha struggles to make gains in decarbonisation. Similarly, Delhi, too has a power system primed and ready for the electricity transition but requires better strategies to translate this strength into decarbonisation gains. 

Another key theme emerging from the analysis was that several states have made uneven progress towards the electricity transition. While some lack the right market enablers, others struggle with the readiness of their power ecosystems. 

Kerala, Haryana, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab and Maharashtra all exhibited considerable progress in certain aspects but also significant weaknesses in other aspects. For example, Kerala and Punjab exhibit sub-par performance in terms of market enablers for decarbonisation, while Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra struggle with the readiness of their power ecosystems. Despite achieving relative success in decarbonising the sector thus far, states must address deficiencies in readiness and market enablers to sustain their momentum.

Overall, while recognising the considerable efforts that states are making towards transitioning to clean electricity, we recommend the strengthening of state-level regulatory ecosystems. 

Strengthening the regulatory framework not only ensures compliance but also promotes growth, data tracking and monitoring, and a conducive environment for business. India has formulated many central and state-level policy schemes to reinforce its goal of energy independence by supporting various reforms and regulatory interventions across the value chain. However, actual implementation has not been adequate and transparent.

Further, there is also a need to shift focus from national-level studies to state-level studies to comprehensively understand the nuances of electricity transition in India. 

Each state presents unique challenges, resources, and policies influencing the adoption of renewable energy sources. There is a need to develop state-level transition plans and trajectories, delve into state-level dynamics, and identify specific barriers and facilitators to provide a holistic view of the transition landscape.

Despite achieving relative success in decarbonising the sector thus far, states must address deficiencies in readiness and market enablers to sustain their momentum. Saloni Sachdeva Michael Energy Specialist, India Clean Energy Transition, IEEFA

Kerala, Haryana, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab and Maharashtra all exhibited considerable progress in certain aspects but also lower performance in other aspects. For example, Kerala and Punjab need to improve when it comes to market enablers for decarbonisation, while Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra need to focus on the readiness of their power ecosystems. Tanya Rana Energy Analyst, IEEFA

Delhi’s power system is well-prepared for decarbonisation, while Odisha has robust market enablers to support decarbonisation in the power sector. However, their actual decarbonisation progress so far does not match their strengths in these aspects, highlighting the importance of performing well in both dimensions to effectively achieve decarbonisation goals. Neshwin Rodrigues India Electricity Policy Analyst, Ember

Key Findings

Karnataka and gujarat were top performers again in 2024.

Karnataka and Gujarat, the top performers in SET 2023, were again exhibiting strength in 2024’s assessment parameters. These states have effectively integrated renewable energy sources into their power sectors, making big strides in decarbonisation, and are adequately prepared to accelerate the transition with robust market enablers facilitating future growth.

Odisha exhibits readiness of its market enablers for the electricity transition

Odisha exhibits preparedness to embrace electricity transition through the readiness of its market enablers. However, it struggles with the actual decarbonisation of its power systems.

Kerala, Haryana, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Maharashtra showed some strong progress

Kerala, Haryana, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Maharashtra all showed strong progress in one or more of the three dimensions: Decarbonisation, Readiness and Performance of the Power Ecosystem and Market Enablers. But they were also significantly slower in one of the three dimensions.

Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh were again relatively slower than others

Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh move slowly than others again in SET 2024, despite the changes to our assessment parameters. There is a need to prioritise comprehensive strategies and interventions to foster sustainable growth and transition in their power sectors.

Introduction

In the year since the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) and Ember jointly released the first edition of the Indian States’ Electricity Transition (SET) report, the decarbonisation targets for the country have only become more ambitious.

While hosting the G20 Presidency for the first time, India championed a climate change-focused agenda, marked by getting the group of countries to agree to tripling global renewable energy capacity by 2030 . India reiterated these commitments at COP28 in Dubai, where it also agreed to double energy efficiency by 2030. 

Yet, as it strives to meet its developmental goals by powering economic growth, emissions are rising. Although India was the fastest-growing G20 economy, clocking a 6.7% growth rate of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2023, its carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions also grew at a rapid pace of 7% to reach 2.8 gigatonnes (Gt) .  

Electricity generation remains the country’s largest emitter by far, contributing to nearly half of India’s annual CO 2 emissions, with 1.18Gt in 2023 .

Transitioning to clean sources of generation can help meet both India’s developmental and climate goals. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), 60% of India’s electricity emissions increase in 2023 was because of cyclical weather-related events such as harsh summers and weak monsoons. This year, too, a harsh summer is likely to push India’s peak power demand to a record high of 260 gigawatts (GW) . But a harsh summer means more sunny days and an opportunity for increased use of solar power.

Utilising more solar power and, more broadly, clean electricity requires efforts both at the central and state levels. India’s federal structure puts electricity under the jurisdiction of both the centre and states, which have considerable authority over energy production, distribution and regulation. As a result, states’ involvement is essential for achieving the electricity transition. 

To be sure, the central government has taken key policy decisions that can accelerate the electricity transition. Investments in key transmission projects to evacuate renewable energy, new regulations that aim to improve clean energy integration in the electricity grid, and reforms in the electricity markets aim to support India’s ambitious non-fossil fuel-based capacity addition targets as part of its National Determined Contributions to increase the share of non-fossil fuel-based electricity sources to half of the total installed capacity by 2030 . Concurrently, the central government has implemented several energy efficiency initiatives aimed at various sectors, including appliances, buildings and industries. 

The progress of states in the electricity transition is far more uneven. Some states have developed progressive steps, such as boosting decentralised renewable energy deployment, promoting solar pumps for agricultural needs, and enhancing storage solutions to ensure more renewable energy in their electricity systems.

Haryana, for instance, plans to skyrocket its solar energy capacity by 22 times, installing 6,000 megawatts (MW) by 2030 . States such as Uttar Pradesh , Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh are the only ones with notified green hydrogen policies. Gujarat was set to unveil its green hydrogen policy last year, but it is still in the draft stage s . Additionally, the Karnataka Energy Department has launched the state’s ambitious plan to transition millions of irrigation pumps to solar energy to save substantial amounts of money spent as a subsidy every year.  

But, as this year’s SET report finds, several other states, such as Jharkhand, West Bengal, Bihar and Odisha, need to do much more.

Gauging India’s progress towards electricity transition requires constant monitoring of several parameters at state level. A purely national overview can often overshadow subtle intricacies at state level that may stymie the country’s electricity transition. 

IEEFA and Ember launched the SET report last year to track states’ progress towards electricity transition, and help identify areas that need remedy. This year’s report builds on the previous edition with more states and even more refined dimensions and parameters to map state-level electricity transition nuances. The objective of the SET report remains unchanged, which is to provide the progress and performance of Indian states on various aspects of the clean electricity transition to help policymakers make more informed decisions.

Dimension 1

Decarbonisation.

This dimension offers a holistic perspective on states’ decarbonisation efforts, covering pivotal elements such as transitioning to renewable electricity, maximising renewable energy potential and decoupling economic growth from emissions. It also focuses on integrating energy efficiency into state-level policies. Furthermore, it evaluates state governments’ investments in renewable energy projects, and tracks the annual additions of renewable energy capacity in recent years. Together, these parameters provide a comprehensive understanding of states’ progress towards a low-carbon power system.

In this chapter:

Dimension 1 (decarbonisation) analysis.

Karnataka stands out as the top performer in this dimension due to its strong performance across various parameters, particularly faring well in the State Energy Efficiency Index (SEEI). Despite a lower share of renewable energy consumption compared with hydro-dominant states such as Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka’s share of renewable energy consumption in the total electricity consumption within the state accounted for approximately 37%. Consequently, the state also has a relatively low power sector emission intensity. Moreover, Karnataka has also added significant renewable energy capacity, emerging as the fifth-largest contributor from 2020 to February 2024, representing about 7% ( ~ 3.4GW) of the total renewable energy capacity addition (excluding large hydro) by 21 states.

Kerala stands out for its high renewable energy consumption share (29%), the fourth highest among states in this dimension, despite its relatively lower renewable energy potential. Additionally, Kerala has the third-highest score in SEEI, which may also partially explain the second-lowest power sector emission intensity in the country, indicating its efficient utilisation of electricity in various sectors.

Himachal Pradesh stands out for its strong performance in this dimension due to its historically heavy reliance on hydroelectric power, which sets it apart from other states. This enables it to consume a significant amount of renewable energy, particularly from hydro sources (almost 70% of the total power purchase). Similarly, Uttarakhand also performed well because of its focus on hydroelectric power ( ~ 47% of the total power purchase). This may be partly due to their geographical location, but it has helped these states perform well in terms of a lower emissions intensity.

Haryana’s renewable energy installation is high compared with its potential, which has significantly contributed to its performance in this dimension. Most of these installations have occurred in recent years, with approximately 1.1GW added from 2019 to February 2024. Moreover, it holds the fifth-highest rank in the SEEI.

Punjab has performed well in this dimension due to its strong performance in specific parameters. It has excelled in utilising its renewable energy potential. Additionally, almost a quarter of Punjab’s consumption is from renewable energy, ranking seventh-highest in the country in renewable energy consumption. Moreover, the state performs relatively well in energy efficiency (seventh-highest in the states considered here) and investments in renewable energy.

Despite contributing almost a quarter of India’s total renewable energy capacity addition since 2020, Gujarat’s share of renewable energy consumption within the state is relatively lower than the top-performing states (it still consumes ~17% from renewable energy). One reason for this is the low Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) target set by the Gujarat State Electricity Commission, which was 17% , a target Gujarat achieved. This target was lower than the recommended RPO target of approximately 25% for FY2022-23 set by the MoP. Additionally, the SEEI performance is modest compared with top-performing states. However, Gujarat still performs well overall in this dimension due to its renewable energy capacity addition (~12GW since 2019), significant investment in renewable energy infrastructure and expenditure within the state.

Andhra Pradesh has contributed a substantial portion to India’s renewable energy capacity, and was one of the top performers in SEEI, resulting in its strong showing in this dimension.

Rajasthan consumes a significant portion of its total electricity from renewable energy sources, approximately 28%, making it one of the top performers in this assessment. Additionally, between 2019 to February 2024, Rajasthan added approximately 16GW of renewable energy capacity, accounting for about 31% of the total installed capacity of renewable energy by the 21 states (excluding large hydro) during this period, making it the highest contributor amongst the considered states. Despite these achievements, Rajasthan’s performance was mid-table in the decarbonisation dimension. A relatively higher power sector emissions intensity and lower SEEI score affected its overall performance. 

Similar to Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu exhibits a significant contribution to renewable energy generation within the state, accounting for 9% of the total capacity addition by the 21 states over the past four years. However, unlike Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu has one of the lowest shares of renewable energy consumption in the country. Despite this, it boasts one of the lowest power sector emission intensities. Nonetheless, Tamil Nadu faces challenges in other parameters, which results in its dimension-level performance being slower than Rajasthan.

Similarly, Telangana and Maharashtra, despite having added a significant percentage of the country’s renewable energy capacity in recent years, are not among the top-performing states due to their relatively lower share in renewable energy consumption (a parameter of significant weightage in this dimension). Eastern states such as Odisha, West Bengal, Jharkhand and Bihar are in the early stages of their decarbonisation journeys, resulting in their low scores in this dimension. While the share of renewable consumption is lower in these states, it is gradually increasing. For instance, despite its low score in this dimension, more than 16% of Jharkhand’s total electricity consumption is from renewable energy sources. However, the limited resource potential for solar and wind has constrained the capacity addition within these states. Despite this, some of these states are expected to perform well in the near future, with Odisha, for instance, attracting significant investments in renewable energy , green hydrogen and solar cell manufacturing in recent times.

Changes Compared to 2023

This year, the dimension incorporates changes to ensure a more comprehensive assessment of state efforts. One significant alteration is the consideration of the share of total consumption of renewable energy, regardless of the source state. This adjustment aims to capture states’ endeavours in purchasing renewable energy, even if they lack abundant solar and wind resources. Consequently, the parameter of the renewable energy mix in the power supply is now based on consumption, reflecting the share of total consumption generated from renewable sources.

Additionally, to account for states’ progress in adding renewable energy capacity, we evaluate their advancements between 2019 and February 2024. Moreover, this year the dimension includes the public expenditure on renewable energy by state governments, providing insight into states’ efforts towards decarbonisation. These new parameters, along with existing metrics such as the utilisation of renewable energy potential, power sector emission density and the SEEI, constitute a more robust assessment of states’ progress towards decarbonising the power sector.

Despite these changes, Karnataka maintains its position as the top performer in this dimension, showcasing consistent leadership in decarbonisation efforts. The relatively lower performance of states such as Jharkhand, Bihar and West Bengal remains unchanged in comparison with the previous assessment.

However, Rajasthan’s performance has declined significantly, primarily due to a substantial reduction in its score in the new SEEI, down 46.5 points, primarily attributed to the lack of reported data. Similarly, Tamil Nadu has experienced a significant decline in performance, largely due to changes in our assessment methodologies that now include state-level renewable energy consumption. Despite its notable capacity additions, only 16% of Tamil Nadu’s total consumption is from renewable energy sources, one of the lowest percentages in the country, excluding eastern states.

Conversely, Chhattisgarh’s performance has improved notably. This improvement is largely because of the addition of the parameter on state expenditure in renewable energy and an improvement in the SEEI. The inclusion of these factors has lifted Chhattisgarh’s overall score, reflecting its increased efforts and effectiveness in decarbonisation initiatives.

Dimension 2

Readiness and performance of the power ecosystem.

Alongside green electricity generation and consumption, the preparedness of the power ecosystem holds paramount importance in facilitating the energy transition of states. A well-prepared power system serves as a foundational pillar for transition, as it facilitates the integration of renewable energy sources and infrastructure. This readiness enhances grid efficiency, reliability and competitiveness, laying the groundwork for sustainable and resilient energy frameworks.

Dimension 2 (Readiness and Performance of the Power Ecosystem) Analysis

States such as Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana and Telangana performed well across all the parameters. Conversely, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh scored low on most parameters. 

Delhi stands out as the top performer across five out of six parameters, particularly faring well in the uptake of distributed solar energy. Rooftop and off-grid solar contributes to 71% of its total renewable installed capacity , the highest of all states as of 29 February 2024. The state aims to generate 4,500MW or about a quarter of its total power supply through solar energy by 2027. Despite high solar penetration, the state had only met 12% of the MNRE’s renewable energy target by February 2024. Delhi’s DISCOMs have improved their performance , according to the Power Finance Corporation’s (PFC) ranking for FY2023. Moreover, Delhi had the highest short-term market participation in FY2023, with 34% of its total power purchase and captive generation volume traded in the short-term electricity market and 2% (~276 million units (MUs)) in the Green Day Ahead Market (GDAM). In addition, the state ensures a reliable electricity supply, facing only a shortage of 2MUs to meet the power requirement in FY2023.

Gujarat, too, shines in this dimension, boasting the highest DISCOM rating by the PFC. The state ensured reliable electricity supply, with just a 0.03% (40MUs) power shortage in FY2023. Gujarat has also built about 30% more (~5081MW) renewable capacity as of February 2024 over the MNRE suggested state target for December 2022. With only 15% of its renewable energy capacity allocated to distributed solar, Gujarat holds substantial potential for expansion in this sector. Moreover, utilising just 12% of its renewable energy potential, there is ample room for further growth. Leveraging the short-term electricity market for increased participation in GDAM beyond its current 1.8% can enhance accessibility. The state government recently signed an MoU with PFC to bolster the infrastructure of key power utilities in Gujarat.

Haryana and Telangana were the other frontrunners. Haryana has the highest solar penetration after Delhi, approximately 64% as of February 2024. The state now aims to increase its solar energy capacity 22 times by installing 6,000MW by 2030 . Telangana achieved the highest compliance rate of 258% for MNRE’s state-level renewable energy targets. Moreover, it effectively addresses power shortages, boasting the lowest shortfall of only 1MU in power requirement for FY2023. Recently, the state has also proposed the implementation of open access for power consumers , signalling a significant shift in the energy landscape.

Lower DISCOM ratings led to a mid-table scoring for Karnataka and Rajasthan despite achieving high scores in Dimension 1. Karnataka scores well in MNRE’s state-level renewable energy target achieved, experiences fewer power shortages, and maintains lower electricity intensity. However, its overall performance is affected as Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM), a prominent DISCOM in Karnataka responsible for nearly 47% of total power purchases, received the second lowest rating by the PFC of all DISCOMs in the state. Furthermore, the state has only about 7% (~1,592MW) of its renewable energy installed capacity as distributed solar energy.

On the other hand, Rajasthan’s performance in short-term market participation remains limited, with only 14% (~104,830MUs) of its total power purchase and captive generation traded in the short-term electricity market in FY2023. Of this, a mere 0.4% (~59MUs) is traded in the GDAM. The state also faces significant power shortages, amounting to approximately 1.6% (1,611MUs) in FY2023. Additionally, Rajasthan exhibits a lower uptake of distributed solar energy, with about 6.4% compared with the total installed renewable energy capacity as of February 2024.

Similarly, Maharashtra, despite performing well in Dimension 1, scores low in Dimension 2 due to its subpar performance in DISCOM performance, short-term market participation and uptake of distributed solar energy. Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL), one of Maharashtra’s major DISCOMs responsible for approximately 90% of total power purchased by DISCOMs in the state, scored low in the PFC rating, thus lowering the state’s overall score. In terms of short-term market participation, 13% (~165,190MUs) of the total power purchase and captive generation is being traded in the short-term electricity market, with only about 4% (~735MUs) of it traded in GDAM. Additionally, the state has only about 12% (~2,033MW) of its renewable energy installed capacity in the distributed solar energy category.

Jharkhand scores were low across all the parameters. With the lowest DISCOM performance rating by PFC, the state has only achieved 7% (~142MW) of its MNRE renewable energy target of 2,005MW, indicating the potential for expansion. Additionally, it faces the lowest adequacy of power supply, experiencing a shortage of 863MUs against a requirement of 12,183MUs in FY2023, resulting in a 7% deficit.

Surprisingly, Tamil Nadu’s overall score was only better than that of one state. This was primarily due to the bad performance of its DISCOMs and lower than expected distributed solar uptake (2%). The state should focus on strengthening the penetration of rooftop solar and solar pumps along with utility-scale projects. The state DISCOM registered a loss of Rs91.92 billion (US$1.1 billion) for FY2023, Rs600 million (US$7.2 million) more than the previous year, despite a tariff hike . The state’s short-term market participation stands at 11% (~112,817MUs) of total power purchase and captive generation. There is an opportunity to increase participation further, particularly in the GDAM, where only 0.7% (~87MU) of the traded volume lies.

Dimension 2 has undergone revisions to provide a more holistic view of states’ readiness for the electricity transition. One notable change involves merging Dimension 2 (Performance of Power System) and Dimension 3 (Readiness of the Power Ecosystem) from the SET 2023 report. This modification aims to strengthen the interlinkages between a strong distribution and transition infrastructure, and the efficient use of each electron. 

Consequently, we widened the parameter assessing the states’ green market participation to capture their participation in short-term electricity markets, facilitating efficient power sharing and system flexibility. Another addition was to capture the penetration of distributed solar energy. This reflects states’ efforts towards diversifying the energy mix and ensuring energy access across diverse regions. We also removed parameters such as feeder segregation and smart metering due to the lack of data available. 

As a result of the changes, the performance of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, which topped Dimension 2 and Dimension 3 last year, suffered a setback in 2024. On the other hand, Delhi, Haryana and Telangana outperformed from last year in strengthening their readiness.

Last year, Karnataka’s strong performance was due to its high electricity generation volumes, robust green market participation and successful attainment of renewable energy targets, highlighting its proactive approach to electricity transition. However, this year the relatively lower DISCOM performance, short-term market participation and the removal of parameters, such as feeder segregation and smart metering, affected its overall performance in the dimension.  

Delhi’s performance improved this year due to its better DISCOM rating, short-term market participation and the uptake of decentralised solar energy. 

Gujarat continued to be a strong performer this year, too, despite the changes in the parameters. Conversely, states such as Uttar Pradesh and Bihar were low performers across both years, with lower readiness levels in terms of short-term market participation, meeting renewable energy targets and DISCOM rating.

Dimension 3

Market enablers.

The Market Enablers dimension underscores a critical aspect in assessing energy transition by focusing on both supply-side initiatives to boost renewable energy capacity, and demand-side measures to facilitate increased renewable purchases. Parameters such as green tariff adoption, electric vehicle (EV) adoption rates, storage capacity at state level, state policy targets, regulatory frameworks and green open access rules are integral components within this dimension.

Dimension 3 (Market Enablers) Analysis

Odisha emerges as the top-performing state with the lowest incremental green tariff rate of Rs0.25/kWh (US$0.003/kWh) compared with other states. With a robust state-specific renewable energy policy and green open access rules in place, the state has strengthened its policy ecosystem. Furthermore, Odisha demonstrates significant progress in the EV sector, fostering an enabling environment for development through the right policy signals, including fiscal and non-fiscal incentives, subsidies for charging infrastructure, investments in manufacturing and skills development, and innovative EV tariff and battery-swapping policies. Additionally, Odisha has successfully implemented eight out of 14 codes/regulations set by state regulators to strengthen the operation of its distribution system as per the Distribution System Operators (DSOs) white paper 2023 . Even though Odisha does not have any installed pumped hydro storage or battery energy storage system (BESS) capacity, the state has invited tenders for 500MW of energy storage capacity with five hours of peak support for a period of five years.

Karnataka excels not only in Dimension 1 but also in Dimension 3, with a competitive incremental green tariff rate of Rs0.5/kWh (US0.6¢/kWh), existing renewable energy policy applicable until 2027 and adoption of green open access rules. In the EV sector, the state leads with a high number of EV public charging stations, with one station per 62 EV’s as of January 2024. The state surpassed Delhi and Maharashtra with 5,059 public EV charging stations . Karnataka has also implemented various codes/regulations emphasising its commitment to regulatory excellence in the distribution system. 

Maharashtra, Gujarat and Uttarakhand were other frontrunners with functional state renewable energy policies and successfully adopted Green Open Access Rules (GOAR). Maharashtra boasts an incremental green tariff rate of Rs0.66/kWh (US¢0.8/kWh) and Uttarakhand has a rate of Rs0.26/kWh (US¢0.3/kWh), the second-lowest after Odisha. However, Gujarat’s green tariff rate is the highest of the states at Rs1.5/kWh (US¢1.8/kWh) and thus holds great potential to perform better in this area. In terms of storage capacity, Maharashtra and Gujarat have pumped hydro storage capacities of 400MW and 1,440MW, respectively. Gujarat also has 6MW of BESS storage. Although there are a number of other storage tenders (round-the-clock, BESS and grid-scale storage), most have not yet been commissioned.

Rajasthan and Punjab were mid-table in this dimension. Rajasthan’s lack of green tariff and limited focus on scaling storage options affected its score. On the other hand, Punjab’s absence of a renewable energy policy and target led to low scores.

Without these market enablers, the widespread adoption of renewable-based electricity faces challenges, slowing down the transition towards sustainable energy sources.

Bihar, Kerala, Assam, Delhi and Himachal Pradesh need to intensify their efforts to promote renewable energy uptake as they scored low across the parameters. The absence of a EV ecosystem and non-adoption of GOARs and an EV ecosystem affected the scoring of Himachal Pradesh. On the other hand, the absence of a green tariff and the non-implementation of GOARs affected the score of Delhi, Assam and Bihar, limiting opportunities for renewable energy procurement. Moreover, Kerala and Bihar’s lack of renewable energy policy exacerbates these challenges, hindering efforts to encourage renewable energy adoption. However, the Kerala state government recently constituted a panel to draft its comprehensive energy policy .

On the other hand, despite Delhi’s exemplary EV ecosystem, its overall performance in this dimension is affected by other factors such as the absence of green tariffs and green open access rules. It needs to address these policy gaps and enhance their renewable energy frameworks to facilitate a smoother transition towards sustainable energy sources and achieve their renewable energy goals.

Additionally, the absence of a defined renewable energy policy target further complicates Bihar’s journey towards renewable energy adoption. The state’s renewable energy sector remains underdeveloped due to inadequate policy support and infrastructure. Bihar’s renewable energy target and policy framework have not been updated since 2017. Despite setting a target of 3433MW of power from renewable sources, Bihar had only achieved 420MW by February 2024 .

This dimension underwent an exhaustive transformation from last year, including the name change to Market Enablers from Policies and Political Commitments. Through the changes, the dimension now evaluates market enablers and readiness indicators necessary for accelerating the electricity transition. This shift led to a complete change at the parameter level, with the addition of new parameters that capture necessary market enablers. It continues to track some policy developments through parameters such as the renewable energy policy landscape and the adoption of GOARs and codes/regulations for the distribution system.

Although a direct comparison cannot be drawn between the past two years, it is interesting to see how Odisha emerges as a frontrunner this year due to its low incremental green tariff rate and robust renewable energy policy framework. The state’s focus on fostering the EV ecosystem through policy incentives and infrastructure development further strengthens its position. Last year, it scored lowly in almost all parameters, including low per capita e-waste and battery recycling capacity, coal capacity in under-construction and pre-construction stages and lack of BESS projects in the pipeline.

The broad comparison also reveals distinct trends and challenges across states in their readiness for the energy transition. While last year focused on the policy landscape and political commitments towards sustainability, this year’s report puts emphasis on market enablers such as green tariff adoption and EV infrastructure. Gujarat and Karnataka showcase comprehensive strategies encompassing both reports, while others struggle to bridge these gaps and align market enablers with robust policy frameworks.

The report acknowledges the tremendous efforts undertaken by some of the states towards electricity transition. The figure below summarises where the states stand regarding their progress across different parameters and dimensions of this transition.

Consistent Performers

Karnataka and Gujarat exemplify strong performance across dimensions, integrating renewables with prepared power systems and robust market enablers. These states have effectively integrated renewable energy sources into their power sectors, making strong strides in decarbonisation. Moreover, their power systems are adequately prepared to further transition towards decarbonisation, complemented by robust market enablers facilitating future growth. However, states still have significant work to do in strengthening decentralised renewable energy (DRE) penetration and short-term market participation.

Interestingly, these two states were also the top performers in last year’s report. Their continued strong performance, despite the numerous changes in parameters this year, indicates they are structurally strong when it comes to electricity transition.

Uneven Progress in Electricity Transition

Our analysis also found that several states demonstrate significant progress in two dimensions but face challenges in others. While some lag in Market Enablers, others struggle in the Readiness and Performance of the Power Ecosystem. To sustain progress, addressing these gaps is crucial.

Kerala, Haryana, Andhra Pradesh and Punjab also emerge as frontrunners, demonstrating commendable progress in two of the three dimensions. However, closer analysis reveals the shortcomings within each state’s performance. For instance, Kerala and Punjab exhibit subpar performance in terms of market enablers for decarbonisation, while Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra struggle with the readiness of their power ecosystems. 

Himachal Pradesh, historically reliant on hydropower, has also performed well in decarbonisation, leveraging its robust hydropower infrastructure to drive progress, but it lacks progress across the other two dimensions. Despite achieving relative success in decarbonising the sector thus far, states must address deficiencies in readiness and market enablers to sustain their momentum.

Struggling to Decarbonise

Despite strong progress in power sector readiness and market enablers, some states struggle to translate these gains into effective decarbonisation efforts, highlighting the need for comprehensive strategies tailored to each state’s unique energy landscape.

Notably, Delhi and Odisha excel in their power sector readiness and market enablers respectively, yet their performance in decarbonisation lags behind others. While Odisha has made significant strides in renewable energy infrastructure, translating these efforts into tangible decarbonisation gains remains a challenge. Similarly, Delhi and Assam boast highly prepared systems for decarbonisation, yet they lack the necessary enablers to further enhance performance in this area. This discrepancy may stem from inherent state-specific characteristics, such as limited renewable energy potential.

Deep-rooted Challenges

States encountering challenges in multiple dimensions must prioritise comprehensive strategies and interventions to foster sustainable growth and transition in the power sector.

For states grappling with challenges across all dimensions, implementing comprehensive strategies and significant interventions becomes paramount. By prioritising initiatives to enhance decarbonisation performance, improve power system readiness and fortify market enablers, states can pave the way for sustainable growth and transition within the power sector.

Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh have showcased slower progress in most of the parameters last year and this year. These states are early in their electricity transition journey, but low performance across several parameters over two iterations of this report suggests structural challenges.

Recommendations

Based on our analysis, we make the following recommendations to accelerate the subnational electricity transition:

Strengthen State-Level Regulatory Ecosystem

Strengthening the regulatory framework not only ensures compliance but also promotes growth, data tracking and monitoring, and fosters a conducive environment for business. India has formulated many central and state-level policy schemes to reinforce its goal of energy independence by supporting various reforms and regulatory interventions across the value chain. However, actual implementation has not been adequate, transparent and just. A poorly planned transition can disrupt the social economic development of a state. Hence, states need to step up efforts to mobilise additional public revenue, build state capacity in leveraging green financing instruments, and develop a just transition expenditure framework to help prioritise public investment in emerging sectors where it creates maximum impact.

Ensure robust state-level planning: The recent MoP directive to all states and UTs emphasises the need for compliance with the Resource Adequacy Guidelines , and is a welcome step to meet the surging power demand. These guidelines require DISCOMs to prepare a resource adequacy plan for a 10-year horizon on a rolling basis, covering the period from FY2025 to FY2034, to meet their peak and energy requirements. As of now, only Maharashtra , Punjab and Madhya Pradesh have notified such plans. States should also ensure alignment of the guidelines with the Indian Electricity Grid Code (IEGC) 2023 to maintain adequate reserves to handle variability of renewable energy resources.

Expand the boundaries of power market: The MoP has directed the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) to initiate the market-coupling process across multiple electricity exchanges to enhance liquidity in the wholesale spot market. Coupling presents a unique opportunity to form a bigger, connected, liquid and efficient marketplace to overcome the limitations of a fragmented market that has only 7% liquidity, multiple segments, a low-price cap and aggressive bidding by the supply in the face of unfulfilled demand. In addition, states should focus on robust implementation of Scheduling, Accounting, Metering and Settlement of Transactions in Electricity (SAMAST) to ensure market readiness of interstate entities. 

Update and implement cross sectoral policies for renewable energy uptake: Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Kerala still lack renewable energy policies. On the other hand, Bihar, Haryana and West Bengal need to revise their renewable energy policies, which lapsed in 2022. Even though most states now have an EV policy in place, Madhya Pradesh and Kerala still lack one. Another area that needs strengthening is state-level green hydrogen policies. Only Uttar Pradesh , Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh have notified green hydrogen policies. In addition, integration of storage with all future renewable energy projects will help create reserves for peak load management.

Focused compliance of national targets: A welcome step was the introduction of the new Distributed Renewable Energy (DRE) segment, allowing renewable energy projects with a capacity of less than 10MW to qualify for RPO for distribution companies and open-access consumers. Tracking and monitoring progress on the same would be crucial to ensure effective penetration of decentralised renewable energy solutions. In addition, states might also need similar focus push to strengthen their storage capacity.

Prioritise State-Level Studies

There is a need to shift focus towards state-level studies to comprehensively understand the nuances of electricity transition in India. Each state presents unique challenges, resources and policies influencing the adoption of renewable energy sources. There is a need to develop state-level transition plans and trajectories, delve into state-level dynamics and identify specific barriers and facilitators to provide a holistic view of the transition landscape.

Systematic and timely sharing of accurate data is the key to optimal transmission planning and development of transmission infrastructure. The absence of long-term planning for renewable energy integration, green hydrogen production hubs and reactive power planning will hamper the effective utilisation of renewable energy resources. Hence, there is a need to introduce transmission planning regulations at the state level that are aligned with CERC’s transmission planning regulations.

In addition, capacity building of state transmission utilities (STUs) on the regulatory framework is required. A platform for STUs to share knowledge on innovative solutions and best practices needs to be formed.

Enhance State-Level Data Availability and Transparency

Comprehensive and transparent data collection and dissemination are essential for conducting effective state-level studies, enabling informed decision-making and policy formulation. Access to reliable public data at state level was a challenge throughout the study. 

There is a need to strengthen efforts to enhance data availability and transparency at state level. While initiatives such as the India Climate & Energy Dashboard have improved accessibility, there remains a significant data gap, especially for data on state-level energy consumption, transmission and market participation.

We could not consider several parameters, such as state-level STU readiness, green term ahead market (GTAM), electricity quantum exchange through open access, smart metering and storage tenders, as part of the analysis due to a lack of state-level data. Capacity building of state authorities should be done to capture, analyse and transfer the data efficiently and accurately.

These integrated recommendations emphasise the importance of prioritising state-level studies, ensuring data availability and transparency, and addressing national-level oversights to facilitate a successful transition to renewable energy in India.

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Supporting Material

• Indian States Electricity Transition (SET) 2024 - PDF (2 MB) icon-download-file
• Indian States' Electricity Transition 2024 (Scoring Data Sheet) - XLSX (2 MB) icon-download-file

Methodology

This report builds on the previous edition , where we tracked 16 states on 17 parameters grouped under four dimensions.  

This year, the report tracks 21 states that collectively contributed to about 95% of India’s annual power demand in the past seven financial years (FY) 2018 to 2024 (up to November). The new states on the list are Kerala, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Assam and Jharkhand. 

This year’s report also uses a more refined methodology, which affects both the dimensions and their parameters. We made the changes based on the relevance to the status of states’ electricity transition progress, feedback from stakeholders and data availability.

New Dimensions

Based on stakeholder feedback, this year’s report merges last year’s Dimension 2 (Performance of the Power System) and Dimension 3  (Readiness of the Power Ecosystem). We also revised last year’s Dimension 4: Policies and Political Commitments to include market enablers capturing both supply-side and demand-side interventions. 

As a result, the new dimensions for this year’s report are: 

• Dimension 1: Decarbonisation – This dimension assesses how effectively states are reducing carbon emissions in their electricity sector. 
• Dimension 2: Readiness and Performance of Power Ecosystem – This dimension evaluates the states’ preparedness to transform their power systems while ensuring reliable electricity supply.
• Dimension 3: Market Enablers – This dimension assesses the presence of conducive market conditions and policy mechanisms that facilitate the growth of renewable energy.

Refer to Annexure 1 for more details on the changes between the dimensions from last year and this year. Annexure 2 elucidates t he rationale behind each dimension’s role in the electricity transition.

New Parameters

Extensive discussions with sectoral experts from organisations, including the Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), Grid-India, EY-Parthenon and others, helped us refine the parameters for each of the three dimensions. 

The changes were based on relevance to the three dimensions, feedback from experts after the launch of last year’s report, and the availability of data from reliable sources. 

In addition to modifying old parameters and adding new ones, we also revised the mode of measurement for a few parameters. Annexure 1  provides details of the changes.

Refer to the 2023 report for details on the selection of weightages, the scale used for scoring, and data collection methods, which remain the same. 

We relied on qualitative data alongside quantitative data for the third dimension, Market Enablers. To ensure uniformity in analysis, the report relied on data for FY2023 wherever possible. In cases where data for FY2023 was unavailable, we used the latest available data for all the parameters. Sectoral experts vetted the data used in this report.

Similar to last year, there were challenges obtaining data for a few states in certain parameters. Refer to Annexure 2 for a full list of data-related challenges and assumptions.

Table 1 provides details on the parameters, the metrics used for different parameters, the type of indicator, weightages and data sources for SET 2024.

Acknowledgements

Aditya Lolla , Asia Policy Director, Ember

Vibhuti Garg , E nergy economist and South Asia Director, IEEFA. 

The authors would like to acknowledge and thank Mr S.C. Saxena (Grid- India), Mr Abhishek Ranjan (EY-Parthenon), Dr Somit Dasgupta (personal capacity), and Ms Vrinda Gupta (personal capacity) for the constructive feedback provided during the peer review and data analysis process. Although any errors are our own and should not tarnish the reputations of these esteemed persons.

We would also like to thank Mr Ranjan, Mr Saxena, Dr Dasgupta, Mr A.K Saxena (TERI), Ms Gupta, Mr Rahul Patidar (personal capacity), Mr Shiv Vembadi (personal capacity) and Mr Nikhil Tyagi (personal capacity) for their contributions in finalising the report methodology, weightages and data analysis process, as well as Ashish Rawat for his support in data collection and analysis.

Finally, we would like to thank Chelsea Bruce-Lockhart, Uni Lee, Cara King, Shane Brady and Debabrata Das for their support in the production of this report.

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