Unabated coal power in India must be phased out by mid-century to achieve global climate targets ... more Unabated coal power in India must be phased out by mid-century to achieve global climate targets under the Paris Agreement. Here we estimate the costs of hybrid power plantslithium-ion battery storage with wind and solar PV-to replace coal generation. We design least cost mixes of these technologies to supply stylized baseload and load-following generation profiles in three Indian states-Karnataka, Gujarat, and Tamil Nadu. Our analysis shows that availability of low cost capital, solar PV capital costs of at least $250/kW, and battery storage capacity costs at least 50% cheaper than current levels will be required to phase out existing coal power plants. Phaseout by 2040 requires a 6% annual decline in the cost of hybrid systems over the next two decades. We find that replacing coal generation with hybrid systems 99% of the hours over multiple decades is roughly 40% cheaper than 100% replacement, indicating a key role for other low cost grid flexibility mechanisms to help hasten coal phaseout. Solar PV is more suited to pairing with short duration storage than 1
There must be few other situations where there are eager purchasers of natural gas (India and Pak... more There must be few other situations where there are eager purchasers of natural gas (India and Pakistan), willing suppliers of natural gas (Turkmenistan, Iran, Qatar and Oman), and yet, no pipeline. The distances involved are modest, and techno-economic viability appears straightforward. This paper examines in detail the policy, technology, and economics of an overland pipeline supplying natural gas to Pakistan and India. Such a pipeline would be shared by both countries, and would represent a unique opportunity for cooperation.† As pipelines exhibit significant economies of scale, a shared pipeline would offer the lowest price natural gas for both countries. Pakistani consumers would obtain cheaper gas than from a lower capacity pipeline for their exclusive use, also benefiting from transit fees paid by Indian consumers. An alternative to land-based pipelines through Pakistan for India would be liquefied natural gas, which is more expensive due to the capital-intensive nature of the...
In this paper, we make the case that ICT projects in the developed and developing world often lea... more In this paper, we make the case that ICT projects in the developed and developing world often lead to partial or total failures due to the incomplete assessment of the problem being solved and the metrics used to evaluate solutions. While in the developed world the success of ICT solutions are often determined by the market, with available infrastructure and market mechanisms, in the developing world this ecosystem does not exist thus requiring an understanding of the ecosystem in which ICT solutions are to be applied. Using literature from the design space, and experiences in ICT for development, we elaborate the dimensions of design such as incorporation of stakeholders, incentive structures, and design participation that are critical to successful deployment. We examine some successes and failures in product/solution development in the ICT area to identify the dimensions of good design incorporated by these products and services. With the perspective that ICT for sustainable deve...
India's nuclear power program is based on indigenous materials and technology, with the poten... more India's nuclear power program is based on indigenous materials and technology, with the potential for providing energy security for many centuries. This paper examines the technical validity of this plan, specifically the role of breeder reactors for extending the domestic uranium supplies. Our study shows breeding is unlikely to occur at anywhere near the rates envisioned, leading to a slow growth of fast breeder reactors. In addition, domestic uranium reserves restrict growth of Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs), which are likely to be the main contributors to nuclear capacity in the short-term. The Th-U233 cycle in fast breeders does not appear attractive, and, for the U238-Pu cycle, only metallic fuel offers hope of rapid increase in available fissile material. To increase the share of nuclear power in the coming decades, India should consider the construction of a number of large thermal reactors based on indigenous and imported uranium.
Most studies of the digital divide and network connectivity begin by asking how many people are i... more Most studies of the digital divide and network connectivity begin by asking how many people are in a network, and what are the network effects associated. We flip the framing by using on the excluded instead of the included. We find, looking at Metcalfe's Law, Reed's Law, and other network "Laws" that all of them provide a techno-optimistic view of increasing network value and penetration, when, in reality, the excluded face increasing costs of exclusion. In fact, our simple model shows that the costs of exclusion rise faster than the growth of the network, and are approximately exponential. In addition to such a framing, we introduce ideas of exclusion across multiple networks, which could be considered multiple layers or dimensions of a broader connectivity graph. This initiates the groundwork for further theoretical and empirical analysis on network exclusion, combined with the policy implications of increasing costs of network exclusion.
The recent phase of power sector reforms has focused on distribution reforms, under the APDRP, an... more The recent phase of power sector reforms has focused on distribution reforms, under the APDRP, and Information Technology (IT) is seen as a savior for the power industry, whereby advanced technologies such as digital metering will bring in much greater efficiency, theft reduction, and collection. While somewhat true, it is important to recognize that not all IT based solutions are equal, and poor designs can hamper longterm benefits. We present some analysis and results looking at different technologies and systems in the Indian context. In particular, we highlight some non-IT issues relating to reforms and tariff design that impact on IT's potential and pitfalls. A full "smart" system will offer long-term benefits beyond simply theft reduction, and should be the focus of planners, analysts, and industry.
This paper examines some of the causes of poor connectivity in developing countries, and suggests... more This paper examines some of the causes of poor connectivity in developing countries, and suggests options for overcoming the so-termed digital divide. Based on a techno-economic analysis of connectivity technologies and design, I show that technical limitations per se are not the bottleneck for widespread connectivity; rather, design, policy, and regulatory challenges are the reasons for high costs (which determines penetration to a large extent). The first part of this paper deals with the "digital divide" and a brief look at existing measures and difficulties with such measures, such as issues of granularity. I present a starting point for a new framework for the digital divide, based on what we call the 4Cs of Information and Communications Technology (ICT): Computers, Connectivity, Content, and (human) Capacity. The next section focuses on the Connectivity aspect of ICT, and examines cost components of different technologies. While there are obvious differences between...
Community health programs in many developing countries are very similar: most involve semitrained... more Community health programs in many developing countries are very similar: most involve semitrained, semi-educated health workers (often female), who provide health services in their own communities in a large hierarchically managed system across the country. In Pakistan, recent evaluations of the government's flagship community health program have revealed the need for improvement in health workers' knowledge, and recommended frequent refresher training courses. However, these have not been possible to implement primarily for reasons of cost. It is our conjecture that telephone-based adaptive speech interfaces, tailored to the specific information needs of health workers, are a viable alternative to current information access mechanisms such as handbooks and manuals. We will be designing, developing and testing such an interface ("HealthLine") in the coming year in Pakistan. Initial results from discussions with health workers (using video prototypes) indicate that ...
Community health programs in many developing countries are very similar: most involve semi-traine... more Community health programs in many developing countries are very similar: most involve semi-trained, semi-educated health workers (often female), who provide health services in their own communities in a large hierarchically managed system across the country. In Pakistan, recent evaluations of the government's flagship community health program have revealed the need for improvement in health workers' knowledge. It is our conjecture that telephone-based adaptive speech interfaces, tailored to the specific information needs of health workers, are a viable alternative to current information access mechanisms such as handbooks and manuals. We will be designing, developing and testing such an interface ("HealthLine") in the coming year in Pakistan. Interviews with health workers indicate that speech interfaces may potentially be much more useful for health workers than traditional media.
The digital divide, however defined, is a stark divide and a challenge for development and techno... more The digital divide, however defined, is a stark divide and a challenge for development and technology professionals. Many groups and governments have recognized this, and the UN devoted a global conference on this issue, the World Summit on the Information Society.5 It is actually a manifestation of other underlying divides, spanning economic, social, geographic, gender, and other divides.6 This note focuses on connectivity for developing countries, especially Africa, even though there are divides within developed countries. Here, we introduce several ideas—some of which have also been postulated in variants by others—for how to end much of the digital divide (at least the connectivity aspect). In particular, we present a proposal, dubbed FiberAfrica, to bring affordable and sustainable broadband to Africa [details on FiberAfrica begin on page 13]. We show how for just about $1/person one-time capital costs, the majority of Africans could avail of (virtually) free data connectivity ...
Inherent and structural differences mean simply breaking up CIL will not unleash meaningful compe... more Inherent and structural differences mean simply breaking up CIL will not unleash meaningful competition, not unless the system is willing to bear a high spread in coal prices. Location matters enormously, and coal ends up being a not very liquid commodity (no pun intended).
In this paper, we present an analysis of a rural distribution network to examine what the benefit... more In this paper, we present an analysis of a rural distribution network to examine what the benefits of decentralized generation would be for meeting rural loads. We use load flow analysis to simulate the line conditions for actual rural feeders in India, and quantify the loss reduction and system improvement by having decentralized generation available. We also present a framework for valuing ancillary services from the generator, viz., reactive power. This provides a starting point for utilities in developing countries to better plan their systems to meet dispersed loads, while optimizing for renewables and other decentralized generation sources.
Given the low levels of electricity access in rural India, the poor quality of supply post electr... more Given the low levels of electricity access in rural India, the poor quality of supply post electrification is an often neglected issue. Frequent supply outages have a significant impact on the quality of life of rural households and on the economic development of rural areas. Using a rich dataset from the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (BESCOM), this paper analyzes supply rostering (alternatively, ‘load shedding’) in metropolitan, small town and rural feeders in and around Bangalore, the capital city of Karnataka in south India. The inequity in load shedding is analyzed through transfers due to differential tariffs between the urban and rural residential consumers, and the relief provided to BESCOM, through avoided procurement of additional supply from generators, because rural and small town feeders are load shed higher than Bangalore city. The values of the load shedding transfers are estimated to be in the range of Rs. 120-380/consumer-year from the rural consumers, and Rs....
is a fellow with Brookings India, and his work focuses on technology and policy, especially for s... more is a fellow with Brookings India, and his work focuses on technology and policy, especially for sustainable development. He leads the energy and sustainability group at Brookings India, and also is active in broader issues of technology. Tongia's work spans the energy landscape, especially electricity, with focuses on supply options including renewable energy (covering finance, grid integration, etc.); smart grids, which use innovative information and communications technology to improve management of the electric utility grid; issues of access and quality; and broader issues of reforms and regulations, including electricity pricing. He is also an adjunct professor at Carnegie Mellon University, and was the founding technical advisor for the government of India's Smart Grid Task Force. He has a bachelor's in electrical engineering from Brown University, and a Ph.D. in Engineering & Public Policy from Carnegie Mellon, where he subsequently joined the faculty. Samantha Gross is a fellow at Brookings, and her work is focused on the intersection of energy, environment, and policy. Gross has more than 20 years of experience in energy and environmental affairs. She has been a visiting fellow at the King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center, where she authored work on clean energy cooperation and on post-Paris climate policy. She was director of the Office of International Climate and Clean Energy at the U.S. Department of Energy. In that role, she directed U.S. activities under the Clean Energy Ministerial, including the secretariat and initiatives focusing on clean energy implementation and access and energy efficiency. Prior to her time at the Department of Energy, Gross was director of integrated research at IHS CERA. She managed the IHS CERA Climate Change and Clean Energy forum and the IHS relationship with the World Economic Forum. She has also worked at the Government Accountability Office on the Natural Resources and Environment team and as an engineer directing environmental assessment and remediation projects. Gross holds a Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering from the University of Illinois, a Master of Science in environmental engineering from Stanford, and a Master of Business Administration from the University of California at Berkeley. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We are grateful for the generous support of the David M. Rubenstein Special Initiative Fund for enabling this joint effort between the Brookings Institution and Brookings India. This report builds on existing Brookings India research on the future of Indian coal-a study supported by a grant from Tata Steel. We also thank researchers at Brookings India for their help in data gathering and analysis, including Abhishek Mishra, Puneet Kamboj, Anurag Sehgal, Sahil Ali, and Tanmay Verma, and editorial help from Sydney Bartone, Rohan Laik, and Zehra Kazmi. We also thank participants at an author workshop at Brookings, and anonymous reviewers. We also acknowledge helpful comments and inputs from David G. Victor and Rohit Chandra. INDEPENDENCE The Brookings Institution is a nonprofit organization devoted to independent research and policy solutions. Its mission is to conduct high-quality, independent research and, based on that research, to provide innovative, practical recommendations for policymakers and the public. The conclusions and recommendations of any Brookings publication are solely those of its author(s), and do not reflect the views of the Institution, its management, or its other scholars.
Abhishek works on issues of energy sustainability. His interests are in Innovation, Project Plann... more Abhishek works on issues of energy sustainability. His interests are in Innovation, Project Planning, Data Analysis, Reverse Engineering, Software Debugging, etc. Abhishek has a Masters in Engineering in Electrical & Electronics from the University of Brighton, United Kingdom, and received a fully funded "The Brighton-Pestalozzi Scholarship" for his undergraduate course.
In my view, US universities should be refocusing resources on the next generation of academic res... more In my view, US universities should be refocusing resources on the next generation of academic researchers. For example, they might consider a cap for salaries derived from university funds and repurpose these resources for support of junior faculty positions. High salaries for administrative staff and senior faculty members contribute to the dearth of available university resources, sequestering tuition, philanthropic and grant-overhead monies. Administrators, as well as many senior scientists with minimal research, teaching or clinical responsibilities, can be paid extraordinarily high annual salaries of up to four times the US National Institutes of Health cap of US$185,100. If a $350,000 cap on annual salaries for professors of all levels were imposed just within the University of California system (http://ucpay.globl.org), this would provide $175,309,313 (figures from 2014 statistics). Such a sum could fund more than 800 assistant-professor positions at about $200,000 per year. Reallocating university resources in this way could create a more hopeful and sustainable future for the next generation of researchers and educators. Improving support for early-career researchers, who are fighting for their livelihoods, would also relieve one of the drivers for insufficient scientific rigour.
Proceedings of the 15th international conference on World Wide Web - WWW '06, 2006
I present analysis examining some of the causes of poor connectivity in developing countries. Bas... more I present analysis examining some of the causes of poor connectivity in developing countries. Based on a technoeconomic analysis and design, I show that technical limitations per se are not the bottleneck for widespread connectivity; rather, design, policy, and regulatory challenges dominate.
2009 International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies and Development (ICTD), 2009
... This matches the stochastic cost modeling of CR management in [5]. We also take into accounts... more ... This matches the stochastic cost modeling of CR management in [5]. We also take into accountstations' or other facilities' monthly operational expenditure, which include staff salaries, utility bills and ... CR 68% Two-way, Participatory Low Single / Shared ... Local Newspaper 16%
Unabated coal power in India must be phased out by mid-century to achieve global climate targets ... more Unabated coal power in India must be phased out by mid-century to achieve global climate targets under the Paris Agreement. Here we estimate the costs of hybrid power plantslithium-ion battery storage with wind and solar PV-to replace coal generation. We design least cost mixes of these technologies to supply stylized baseload and load-following generation profiles in three Indian states-Karnataka, Gujarat, and Tamil Nadu. Our analysis shows that availability of low cost capital, solar PV capital costs of at least $250/kW, and battery storage capacity costs at least 50% cheaper than current levels will be required to phase out existing coal power plants. Phaseout by 2040 requires a 6% annual decline in the cost of hybrid systems over the next two decades. We find that replacing coal generation with hybrid systems 99% of the hours over multiple decades is roughly 40% cheaper than 100% replacement, indicating a key role for other low cost grid flexibility mechanisms to help hasten coal phaseout. Solar PV is more suited to pairing with short duration storage than 1
There must be few other situations where there are eager purchasers of natural gas (India and Pak... more There must be few other situations where there are eager purchasers of natural gas (India and Pakistan), willing suppliers of natural gas (Turkmenistan, Iran, Qatar and Oman), and yet, no pipeline. The distances involved are modest, and techno-economic viability appears straightforward. This paper examines in detail the policy, technology, and economics of an overland pipeline supplying natural gas to Pakistan and India. Such a pipeline would be shared by both countries, and would represent a unique opportunity for cooperation.† As pipelines exhibit significant economies of scale, a shared pipeline would offer the lowest price natural gas for both countries. Pakistani consumers would obtain cheaper gas than from a lower capacity pipeline for their exclusive use, also benefiting from transit fees paid by Indian consumers. An alternative to land-based pipelines through Pakistan for India would be liquefied natural gas, which is more expensive due to the capital-intensive nature of the...
In this paper, we make the case that ICT projects in the developed and developing world often lea... more In this paper, we make the case that ICT projects in the developed and developing world often lead to partial or total failures due to the incomplete assessment of the problem being solved and the metrics used to evaluate solutions. While in the developed world the success of ICT solutions are often determined by the market, with available infrastructure and market mechanisms, in the developing world this ecosystem does not exist thus requiring an understanding of the ecosystem in which ICT solutions are to be applied. Using literature from the design space, and experiences in ICT for development, we elaborate the dimensions of design such as incorporation of stakeholders, incentive structures, and design participation that are critical to successful deployment. We examine some successes and failures in product/solution development in the ICT area to identify the dimensions of good design incorporated by these products and services. With the perspective that ICT for sustainable deve...
India's nuclear power program is based on indigenous materials and technology, with the poten... more India's nuclear power program is based on indigenous materials and technology, with the potential for providing energy security for many centuries. This paper examines the technical validity of this plan, specifically the role of breeder reactors for extending the domestic uranium supplies. Our study shows breeding is unlikely to occur at anywhere near the rates envisioned, leading to a slow growth of fast breeder reactors. In addition, domestic uranium reserves restrict growth of Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs), which are likely to be the main contributors to nuclear capacity in the short-term. The Th-U233 cycle in fast breeders does not appear attractive, and, for the U238-Pu cycle, only metallic fuel offers hope of rapid increase in available fissile material. To increase the share of nuclear power in the coming decades, India should consider the construction of a number of large thermal reactors based on indigenous and imported uranium.
Most studies of the digital divide and network connectivity begin by asking how many people are i... more Most studies of the digital divide and network connectivity begin by asking how many people are in a network, and what are the network effects associated. We flip the framing by using on the excluded instead of the included. We find, looking at Metcalfe's Law, Reed's Law, and other network "Laws" that all of them provide a techno-optimistic view of increasing network value and penetration, when, in reality, the excluded face increasing costs of exclusion. In fact, our simple model shows that the costs of exclusion rise faster than the growth of the network, and are approximately exponential. In addition to such a framing, we introduce ideas of exclusion across multiple networks, which could be considered multiple layers or dimensions of a broader connectivity graph. This initiates the groundwork for further theoretical and empirical analysis on network exclusion, combined with the policy implications of increasing costs of network exclusion.
The recent phase of power sector reforms has focused on distribution reforms, under the APDRP, an... more The recent phase of power sector reforms has focused on distribution reforms, under the APDRP, and Information Technology (IT) is seen as a savior for the power industry, whereby advanced technologies such as digital metering will bring in much greater efficiency, theft reduction, and collection. While somewhat true, it is important to recognize that not all IT based solutions are equal, and poor designs can hamper longterm benefits. We present some analysis and results looking at different technologies and systems in the Indian context. In particular, we highlight some non-IT issues relating to reforms and tariff design that impact on IT's potential and pitfalls. A full "smart" system will offer long-term benefits beyond simply theft reduction, and should be the focus of planners, analysts, and industry.
This paper examines some of the causes of poor connectivity in developing countries, and suggests... more This paper examines some of the causes of poor connectivity in developing countries, and suggests options for overcoming the so-termed digital divide. Based on a techno-economic analysis of connectivity technologies and design, I show that technical limitations per se are not the bottleneck for widespread connectivity; rather, design, policy, and regulatory challenges are the reasons for high costs (which determines penetration to a large extent). The first part of this paper deals with the "digital divide" and a brief look at existing measures and difficulties with such measures, such as issues of granularity. I present a starting point for a new framework for the digital divide, based on what we call the 4Cs of Information and Communications Technology (ICT): Computers, Connectivity, Content, and (human) Capacity. The next section focuses on the Connectivity aspect of ICT, and examines cost components of different technologies. While there are obvious differences between...
Community health programs in many developing countries are very similar: most involve semitrained... more Community health programs in many developing countries are very similar: most involve semitrained, semi-educated health workers (often female), who provide health services in their own communities in a large hierarchically managed system across the country. In Pakistan, recent evaluations of the government's flagship community health program have revealed the need for improvement in health workers' knowledge, and recommended frequent refresher training courses. However, these have not been possible to implement primarily for reasons of cost. It is our conjecture that telephone-based adaptive speech interfaces, tailored to the specific information needs of health workers, are a viable alternative to current information access mechanisms such as handbooks and manuals. We will be designing, developing and testing such an interface ("HealthLine") in the coming year in Pakistan. Initial results from discussions with health workers (using video prototypes) indicate that ...
Community health programs in many developing countries are very similar: most involve semi-traine... more Community health programs in many developing countries are very similar: most involve semi-trained, semi-educated health workers (often female), who provide health services in their own communities in a large hierarchically managed system across the country. In Pakistan, recent evaluations of the government's flagship community health program have revealed the need for improvement in health workers' knowledge. It is our conjecture that telephone-based adaptive speech interfaces, tailored to the specific information needs of health workers, are a viable alternative to current information access mechanisms such as handbooks and manuals. We will be designing, developing and testing such an interface ("HealthLine") in the coming year in Pakistan. Interviews with health workers indicate that speech interfaces may potentially be much more useful for health workers than traditional media.
The digital divide, however defined, is a stark divide and a challenge for development and techno... more The digital divide, however defined, is a stark divide and a challenge for development and technology professionals. Many groups and governments have recognized this, and the UN devoted a global conference on this issue, the World Summit on the Information Society.5 It is actually a manifestation of other underlying divides, spanning economic, social, geographic, gender, and other divides.6 This note focuses on connectivity for developing countries, especially Africa, even though there are divides within developed countries. Here, we introduce several ideas—some of which have also been postulated in variants by others—for how to end much of the digital divide (at least the connectivity aspect). In particular, we present a proposal, dubbed FiberAfrica, to bring affordable and sustainable broadband to Africa [details on FiberAfrica begin on page 13]. We show how for just about $1/person one-time capital costs, the majority of Africans could avail of (virtually) free data connectivity ...
Inherent and structural differences mean simply breaking up CIL will not unleash meaningful compe... more Inherent and structural differences mean simply breaking up CIL will not unleash meaningful competition, not unless the system is willing to bear a high spread in coal prices. Location matters enormously, and coal ends up being a not very liquid commodity (no pun intended).
In this paper, we present an analysis of a rural distribution network to examine what the benefit... more In this paper, we present an analysis of a rural distribution network to examine what the benefits of decentralized generation would be for meeting rural loads. We use load flow analysis to simulate the line conditions for actual rural feeders in India, and quantify the loss reduction and system improvement by having decentralized generation available. We also present a framework for valuing ancillary services from the generator, viz., reactive power. This provides a starting point for utilities in developing countries to better plan their systems to meet dispersed loads, while optimizing for renewables and other decentralized generation sources.
Given the low levels of electricity access in rural India, the poor quality of supply post electr... more Given the low levels of electricity access in rural India, the poor quality of supply post electrification is an often neglected issue. Frequent supply outages have a significant impact on the quality of life of rural households and on the economic development of rural areas. Using a rich dataset from the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (BESCOM), this paper analyzes supply rostering (alternatively, ‘load shedding’) in metropolitan, small town and rural feeders in and around Bangalore, the capital city of Karnataka in south India. The inequity in load shedding is analyzed through transfers due to differential tariffs between the urban and rural residential consumers, and the relief provided to BESCOM, through avoided procurement of additional supply from generators, because rural and small town feeders are load shed higher than Bangalore city. The values of the load shedding transfers are estimated to be in the range of Rs. 120-380/consumer-year from the rural consumers, and Rs....
is a fellow with Brookings India, and his work focuses on technology and policy, especially for s... more is a fellow with Brookings India, and his work focuses on technology and policy, especially for sustainable development. He leads the energy and sustainability group at Brookings India, and also is active in broader issues of technology. Tongia's work spans the energy landscape, especially electricity, with focuses on supply options including renewable energy (covering finance, grid integration, etc.); smart grids, which use innovative information and communications technology to improve management of the electric utility grid; issues of access and quality; and broader issues of reforms and regulations, including electricity pricing. He is also an adjunct professor at Carnegie Mellon University, and was the founding technical advisor for the government of India's Smart Grid Task Force. He has a bachelor's in electrical engineering from Brown University, and a Ph.D. in Engineering & Public Policy from Carnegie Mellon, where he subsequently joined the faculty. Samantha Gross is a fellow at Brookings, and her work is focused on the intersection of energy, environment, and policy. Gross has more than 20 years of experience in energy and environmental affairs. She has been a visiting fellow at the King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center, where she authored work on clean energy cooperation and on post-Paris climate policy. She was director of the Office of International Climate and Clean Energy at the U.S. Department of Energy. In that role, she directed U.S. activities under the Clean Energy Ministerial, including the secretariat and initiatives focusing on clean energy implementation and access and energy efficiency. Prior to her time at the Department of Energy, Gross was director of integrated research at IHS CERA. She managed the IHS CERA Climate Change and Clean Energy forum and the IHS relationship with the World Economic Forum. She has also worked at the Government Accountability Office on the Natural Resources and Environment team and as an engineer directing environmental assessment and remediation projects. Gross holds a Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering from the University of Illinois, a Master of Science in environmental engineering from Stanford, and a Master of Business Administration from the University of California at Berkeley. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We are grateful for the generous support of the David M. Rubenstein Special Initiative Fund for enabling this joint effort between the Brookings Institution and Brookings India. This report builds on existing Brookings India research on the future of Indian coal-a study supported by a grant from Tata Steel. We also thank researchers at Brookings India for their help in data gathering and analysis, including Abhishek Mishra, Puneet Kamboj, Anurag Sehgal, Sahil Ali, and Tanmay Verma, and editorial help from Sydney Bartone, Rohan Laik, and Zehra Kazmi. We also thank participants at an author workshop at Brookings, and anonymous reviewers. We also acknowledge helpful comments and inputs from David G. Victor and Rohit Chandra. INDEPENDENCE The Brookings Institution is a nonprofit organization devoted to independent research and policy solutions. Its mission is to conduct high-quality, independent research and, based on that research, to provide innovative, practical recommendations for policymakers and the public. The conclusions and recommendations of any Brookings publication are solely those of its author(s), and do not reflect the views of the Institution, its management, or its other scholars.
Abhishek works on issues of energy sustainability. His interests are in Innovation, Project Plann... more Abhishek works on issues of energy sustainability. His interests are in Innovation, Project Planning, Data Analysis, Reverse Engineering, Software Debugging, etc. Abhishek has a Masters in Engineering in Electrical & Electronics from the University of Brighton, United Kingdom, and received a fully funded "The Brighton-Pestalozzi Scholarship" for his undergraduate course.
In my view, US universities should be refocusing resources on the next generation of academic res... more In my view, US universities should be refocusing resources on the next generation of academic researchers. For example, they might consider a cap for salaries derived from university funds and repurpose these resources for support of junior faculty positions. High salaries for administrative staff and senior faculty members contribute to the dearth of available university resources, sequestering tuition, philanthropic and grant-overhead monies. Administrators, as well as many senior scientists with minimal research, teaching or clinical responsibilities, can be paid extraordinarily high annual salaries of up to four times the US National Institutes of Health cap of US$185,100. If a $350,000 cap on annual salaries for professors of all levels were imposed just within the University of California system (http://ucpay.globl.org), this would provide $175,309,313 (figures from 2014 statistics). Such a sum could fund more than 800 assistant-professor positions at about $200,000 per year. Reallocating university resources in this way could create a more hopeful and sustainable future for the next generation of researchers and educators. Improving support for early-career researchers, who are fighting for their livelihoods, would also relieve one of the drivers for insufficient scientific rigour.
Proceedings of the 15th international conference on World Wide Web - WWW '06, 2006
I present analysis examining some of the causes of poor connectivity in developing countries. Bas... more I present analysis examining some of the causes of poor connectivity in developing countries. Based on a technoeconomic analysis and design, I show that technical limitations per se are not the bottleneck for widespread connectivity; rather, design, policy, and regulatory challenges dominate.
2009 International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies and Development (ICTD), 2009
... This matches the stochastic cost modeling of CR management in [5]. We also take into accounts... more ... This matches the stochastic cost modeling of CR management in [5]. We also take into accountstations' or other facilities' monthly operational expenditure, which include staff salaries, utility bills and ... CR 68% Two-way, Participatory Low Single / Shared ... Local Newspaper 16%
Uploads
Papers by Rahul Tongia