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The document examines the impact of KERC order S/03/01, which provided a ten-year exemption from wheeling charges, banking charges, and cross subsidy surcharges for solar generators achieving commercial operation before 31 March 2018. While the order is welcomed by market participants and improved viability for commercial consumers, the paper finds that tangible on-ground impacts in terms of commissioned capacity and wheeled energy will likely only be evident from the fourth quarter of Financial Year 2016 onwards due to delays in understanding the order and challenges with land and power evacuation.

The document analyzes the evolution of public bicycle-sharing (PBS) in India, noting a decline in cycling mode share from nearly 30 percent in 1994 to an average of 11 percent in 2007. While early private rental models in cities like Mumbai, Delhi, and Bangalore failed due to economic unviability, systems launched in 2017 in Mysuru, Bhopal, and Pune have been more successful by utilizing public-private partnerships, smart technology, and public sector support. The paper highlights the role of the National Urban Transport Policy in promoting non-motorized transport to counter the social stigma of cycling as a 'poor man's mode of transport'.

The study of ten apartment complexes in Bengaluru found that rooftop solar could meet the entire annual electricity demand for common services in 80% of the sites. Water pumping assets represent the largest electricity load, accounting for 45% of the total connected common area load across the studied complexes. Despite this potential, adoption is hindered by low incentives due to subsidized domestic tariffs in Karnataka, a lack of maintained energy data, and a priority on other budgetary items like waste management over energy efficiency.

The study analyzes the impact of urbanization on natural infrastructure in 10 major Indian cities from 2000 to 2015, finding significant increases in built-up areas and a corresponding loss of surface water and groundwater recharge potential. It advocates for an integrated urban blue-green approach to planning to mitigate risks like urban flooding and water scarcity.

The document assesses WRI India Ross Center's role as a change agent in Bengaluru since 2010, focusing on its transition from mobility to broader urban development, energy, water, and climate resilience. It identifies a data-led approach and sustained physical presence as key success factors, while noting that governance complexities and short funding timeframes present significant challenges.

The document details the net-metering tariffs for rooftop solar PV systems under BESCOM, distinguishing between subsidized and non-subsidized systems and noting a rate change for systems smaller than 10kW commissioned after May 2, 2016.

The document examines the adoption of rooftop solar PV by 'prosumers' in Bengaluru, managed by the utility BESCOM. While a net-metering program introduced in November 2014 has achieved over 5.6 MW of grid-connected capacity as of March 2016, the paper argues that adoption must accelerate to meet Karnataka's 400 MW state target for 2018. It identifies six primary barriers to scaling, including poor understanding of costs and payback, confusion over net-metering specifications, and limited institutional capacity of the program administrator.

The CollabSolar project in Bengaluru attempted to reduce transaction costs and attract developers by aggregating the rooftop solar demand of six corporate entities. Key findings indicate that aggregation is most effective within small geographic areas and requires a collective minimum demand of 8-10 million kWh/year to mitigate the risk of individual buyer withdrawal. The project highlighted critical barriers, including corporate charter restrictions for MNCs wishing to invest capital, the need for tripartite agreements with landlords for leased spaces, and the absence of net-metering schemes in Bengaluru at the time, which forced systems to be sized to minimum weekend loads.

A study of over 2,000 households in Bangalore, India, found that behaviorally informed energy reports (HERs) featuring social norm comparisons and savings recommendations led to a 7 percent decrease in average monthly energy consumption over 12 months. While the lack of a control group prevents a robust causal connection, the results contrast with a nearly 3 percent increase in per capita energy usage across the state of Karnataka during the same period. Scaling this intervention to the entire city of Bangalore could potentially save households nearly US$60 million annually and avoid emissions from 604 million kilowatts of electricity generation.

The document argues that the auto-rickshaw sector can support sustainable urban transport in India by providing first-and-last-mile connectivity and door-to-door alternatives to private vehicles. To achieve this, it recommends shifting from two-stroke to four-stroke engines to reduce PM10 emissions, implementing separate emission standards for HC and NOx, and improving vehicle design and road infrastructure to enhance occupant safety.

The Green Power Market Development Group (GPMDG) India, a partnership between the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), works to increase renewable energy adoption in India's commercial and industrial sectors. By addressing policy and market barriers, the group facilitates procurement, shares best practices, and aggregates demand for technologies like solar PV. As of July 31, 2015, GPMDG supported 250 MW of renewable energy, including 110 MW facilitated by its Bangalore chapter in Karnataka during its first year of operations.

The WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities employs an integrated approach combining data-driven research and long-term city partnerships to address urban challenges in land use, mobility, and energy efficiency. The organization focuses on the global south, implementing projects such as low-emission zones in Beijing, sustainable housing standards in Brazil, and last-mile mobility solutions in Bengaluru. Its strategy emphasizes scaling road-tested solutions through national policy guidance and global coalitions to help cities decarbonize and improve equitable access to core services.