Role of product standards in the acceleration of the Indian energy transition: The case of the Indian off-grid solar sector

Abstract

This article considers the role of product standards in the acceleration of the Indian energy transition. It argues that standard-setting plays a crucial role in shaping interactions between national regulators and stakeholders of the off-grid solar sector. Thirty-three expert interviews were scrutinised in a narrative analysis. Product standards are assessed in the context of an emerging Indian off-grid solar sector. The study found that there are two different frameworks for product standards, that standard adherence played a significant role in accessing government programmes, and that the establishment of product standards in the off-grid solar sector was driven by international stakeholders. By applying a narrative analysis, two central narratives on the governance of the Indian off-grid solar sector have been found. The paper concludes that diverging product standards frameworks due to increasing politicisation of energy access governance impact the acceleration of the Indian energy transition.