Innovations for Sustainable and Resilient Societal-Scale Infrastructure Systems
Saurabh Amin
Professor, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Infrastructure systems are essentially physical structures (facilities and networks), organizational setups and services that a society relies on for daily needs such as electricity, transportation, water, and food. Safe, reliable, and efficient infrastructure systems are crucial for advancing the socioeconomic development of any country. This is especially important for India as more than 40% of the country’s population is expected
to reside in urban areas by 2030 and the rate of urbanization in next several decades is projected to be much higher than in the developed countries. Today, many urban centers are already witnessing the stress from multi-fold increase in the demand for infrastructure and services but face severe limitations for capacity expansion and organizational restructuring. As a result, our streets get routinely congested, electricity supply is often unreliable, water and air quality are hard to maintain, waste spills into the environment, and prices of essential food items and medical supplies tend to be volatile. Addressing these systematic issues will require bold new innovations and a robust entrepreneurial ecosystem to support and implement government policies and programs on infrastructure.
The key question is: How can we sustainably develop our infrastructure systems to support the needs of steadily expanding urban centers while achieving overall socioeconomic growth for everyone and protecting the natural environment? Addressing this question is important as India is making major efforts to chart the future of its 1.4 billion people by making significant investments in non-fossil energy generation, high-
capacity transport corridors, domestic manufacturing in critical sectors, and massive construction projects for provisioning public services. The ways in which India’s infrastructure will grow in the coming decades will also have far reaching implications on the global energy trends and humanity’s efforts to meet ambitious emission reduction goals. Here, we argue that recent technological advances in sensing, communication, data analytics, and emerging platforms and services driven by Artificial intelligence (AI) can play a significant role in shaping how we use, operate, and manage our critical infrastructure systems and plan for a sustainable future.
In the last 15 years, AI has influenced just about every aspect of our lives, from enabling friendships and social connections, to AI-assisted route guidance, to sensing and controlling our energy grids, to digital platforms creating sharing economy for transport, housing, and food delivery, to using data-driven approaches to monitor infrastructure assets and repair them. Notably, all these capabilities were enabled by innovations in
sensing, control, communication, and data analytics. The ongoing digital transformation of transportation, energy, water, food, and other infrastructures will continue to shape the existing services and create new opportunities to make these systems “smarter” – that
is, more responsive to changes in supply and demand, more interactive for users, and easier to manage for operators. Below we highlight opportunities for innovation in two major sectors: transportation and energy.
Multimodal Transportation Systems
Our urban mobility in the last 15 years has been shaped by the widespread adoption of smartphones. This made personal navigation much easier, facilitated traffic congestion monitoring at-scale, and gave rise to ride-hailing services such as Uber, Ola Cabs, Savaari, etc. While travelers are well-connected and more informed via smartphone technology, much needs to be done to better operate and coordinate mobility solutions, utilize
available transportation capacity, and reduce traffic incidents and safety risks. Next-generation transportation systems and mobility solutions are primed for disruptive innovations in how we build and configure our infrastructure (road capacity, fueling stations, parking lots); how travelers receive information on traffic congestion and navigate through the transportation system (via apps for routing, ride-hailing, and carpooling); how public transportation is reshaped to provide multi-modal and micromobility options; how traffic signals are coordinated to reduce wait times at intersections; how electrified scooters, cars, trucks are deployed to achieve reduction emissions and costs; and how commercially available automation technologies are introduced to improve overall transportation efficiency while reducing safety risks.
Especially important in the context of mobility for Indian travelers is to decongest recurrent hotspots in busy corridors, provide equitable and safe access to transportation for marginalized socioeconomic groups, improve emergency response services, and efficiently manage heterogeneous mix of newly built and old infrastructure. Mobility tech startups can help address these challenges by leveraging communication and automation technologies to provide innovative services to plan, coordinate, and improve accessibility and overall travel experience. Such startups can also help in improving data sharing and coordination between transportation operators, urban planners, and government agencies.
Low-Carbon Energy Systems
Decarbonization of the energy sector is one of the major requirements for reducing global warming beyond the 1.5 °C threshold and mitigating and adapting to the negative impacts of climate change. Our main challenge is to reliably meet increasing energy demand while systematically reducing the environmental impact of energy generation infrastructure. In the last 10 years, electric power systems have witnessed sustained innovations in solar and wind renewable energy generation and energy storage technologies. Simultaneously, innovations in advanced communications, the industrial Internet-of-Things (IoT), AI, and data analytics have improved our ability to monitor and control the electric power grid and created new opportunities for integration of power generation from renewable sources
To address the unique and multi-dimensional challenges faced by emerging markets and developing sectors in India, we need innovations that can leverage fast-moving improvements in clean-energy technology. These innovations must advance our ability to sustainably meet growing energy demand while simultaneously electrifying and decarbonizing energy systems. Also important is to ensure that large unmet energy
needs of vulnerable and socio-economically marginalized communities are addressed in the face of disruptive effects of accelerating climate change.
Specific opportunities for innovation in the energy sector include: analytical and datadriven tools to facilitate climate-resilient energy system planning; development of comprehensive databases and information systems to characterize available energy resources and technologies; tools to reliably operate energy systems under large-scale integration of renewable energy generation; new economic models (pricing and other
incentive schemes) to manage demand in both residential and commercial sectors; and technologies to facilitate coordination of distributed energy generation, storage and demand management. India is making significant investments in renewable energy and has set ambitious emissions reduction targets, with the eventual goal of net-zero emissions by 2070. Few imperatives over the next few decades are more necessary than developing an innovation pipeline that can produce measurable impact across the whole energy supply chain.
Closing Thoughts
Fortunately, Indian youth is increasingly understanding the urgency of research-based innovation. Government agencies are receptive to impactful ideas and technologies.Startup and big corporates are interested to accelerate real-world transition in socially impactful areas. Universities and innovation hubs realize the urgency to take up projects at the interface of fundamental research and technology transition. The business case
for sustained investments in new technologies that support digital transformation of critical infrastructure sectors is becoming clear. And closer ties between private industry, nonprofits, policy makers, and infrastructure agencies are gradually developing. All-in-all, we can look forward to an exciting new era for infrastructure systems and services in India.
(The author can be reached at [email protected])
Read MoreViksit Bharat, Innovation and Sustainable Development
Bharat Dahiya
Director, Research Centre for Sustainable Development and Innovation, School of Global Studies,
Thammasat University, Bangkok, Thailand
Towards Viksit Bharat @2047
On 15 August 2022, from the ramparts of the Red Fort in Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave a clarion call for ‘Viksit Bharat’ or ‘Developed India’ by 2047 CE when the nation will celebrate the first centenary of its Independence. This notion provides a long-term vision for
the holistic and sustainable development in the country during the ‘Amrit Kaal’ or ‘The Era of Elixir’– a 25-year period spanning from 2022 to 2047.
The idea of Viksit Bharat by 2047 presents a vast canvas on which every Indian could paint the picture of their dreams. To every citizen – and particularly to the youth, this long-term vision provides much needed inspiration for developing new innovations and multi-dimensional
pathways towards sustainable development, as called for by the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 and beyond.
Innovation and Sustainable Development
Innovations are understood as new ideas, knowledge, products, methods, applications, behaviours, strategies, processes, and more. Innovations may either be totally novel globally, or the introduction of existing ideas as ‘new’ to a particular geographical context. Sustainable
development is a multifaceted process that could help with (a) meeting the needs of both the current and the future generations, and (b) conserving the life-supporting ecological systems that Mother Earth has provided us. Innovation and sustainable development are twin processes that have an almost inexhaustive potential to propel a country to new levels of holistic progress and quality of life. Innovations are an expression of a society’s ingenuity in head-on tackling contemporaneous problems and challenges. They provide a much-needed spurt of creative energy to advance economic and societal progress. Thus, innovations empower countries with the prerequisite self-confidence to work towards a brighter future. This is particularly significant for a civilisation like India, which in 1750 CE ‘produced about 25 percent of the world industrial output’ that declined to two percent by 1900 CE (Clingingsmith and Williamson, 2004).
The Independent Group of Scientists appointed by the Secretary-General (2023) has identified six entry points and levers regarding sustainable development worldwide:
- (i) Human well-being and capabilities
- (ii) Sustainable and just economies
- (iii) Sustainable food systems and healthy nutrition
- (iv) Energy decarbonization with universal access
- (v) Urban and peri-urban development
- (vi) Global environmental commons
Working towards sustainable development requires contextually suited policies, strategies, plans, investments, multi-stakeholder partnerships, accountability mechanisms, technological advancement, digitalisation, and innovation systems.
Holistic and Sustainable Development in India In an ancient and living civilisation that India is, the idea of holistic and sustainable development
will inevitably include spiritual, cultural, social, environmental and economic dimensions. This is because, since time immemorial, Bharatiya Sanskriti, or Indian Culture, is soaked in spirituality. Mother India has given birth to several spiritual traditions, which have nourished the
souls of the people of India and beyond. Such spiritual traditions have also orchestrated time and place specific frameworks and models of holistic progress and sustainable development.
Sri Sathya Sai Baba (1926-2011 CE), considered as the ‘Avatar’ of Kali Yuga, called for and assiduously worked on such a holistic and comprehensive idea of development. Throughout His divine mission, Sri Sathya Sai Baba efficiently and effectively led the creation, design and implementation of innovative and pioneering sustainable development projects even before the term ‘sustainable development’ was formally used by the United Nations in 1980.
Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s holistic and sustainable development work focused on ‘Educare’, ‘Medicare’, ‘Sociocare’, and ‘Spirituality and Service’.
- Educare: Provision of ‘Value-based Integral Education’ through the establishment of Sri Sathya Sai Arts and Science College (for Women), Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh (1968); Sri Sathya Sai Arts, Science and Commerce College (for Men), Whitefield, Karnataka
(1969); Sri Sathya Sai College of Arts, Science and Commerce College (for Men), Prasanthi Nilayam, Andhra Pradesh; Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning (deemed university, 1981); and multiple schools with pro bono education services (SDGs 3, 4, 5
and 11). - Medicare: A General Hospital in Puttaparthi (1956); a General Hospital in Whitefield (1976); two Super Speciality Hospitals, one each in Andhra Pradesh (1991) and Karnataka (2001); a Mobile Hospital for remote areas (2006); and Telehealth facility for patients living far from the facilities (2007), where medical services are provided free of cost (SDGs 3, 9, 16 and 17).
- Sociocare: Water Supply Project for 1.25 million people of Anantapur district (1995), for one million people in 320 villages in Medak and Mahabubnagar districts (2001), and for 690,000 people in East Godavari and West Godavari districts (2007). These projects
continue to serve people and meet targets under SDGs 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9 and 11 - Spirituality and Service: Sri Sathya Sai Baba elaborated the five human values of Sathya (Truth), Dharma (Righteousness), Shanti (Peace), Prema (Love), and Ahimsa (Non-violence). He rejuvenated the old concepts and traditions of spirituality (Adhyatmikta) and service (Seva) and developed their new forms adapted to the contemporary context, such as Sai Bhajans, Gram Seva, and Sevadal.
These ground-breaking projects continue to act as ‘lighthouses of inspiration’ for Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust and various Sai organisations to develop innovative programmes and projects for sustainable development.
Innovation and Sustainable Development for Viksit Bharat @2047
The large population (1.4 billion), the diverse geography, and the urgent need to provide livelihoods to and improve the quality of life for each and every citizen pose unique challenges of sustainable development in India. Nevertheless, the country has a young workforce, and its
demographic dividend will reach its peak in 2041.
What India needs now is innovation systems that can work on (a) understanding the problems in the local, sub-national and national contexts, (b) developing appropriate innovations, and (c) tackling the multifarious development challenges. Such innovations systems are essential not
only at the national and state (i.e., sub-national) levels, but also at the local (e.g., urban and regional) level.
While national and state (sub-national) level innovation systems may be led by designated agencies, local innovation systems may be led by universities in partnership with (pro)active stakeholders from the public sector, businesses, non-profit sector, and the communities. Such
local innovation systems may harness traditional wisdom, local knowledge and creativity, and local resources to develop innovations that are rooted in Indian culture and spirituality. For example, Tarun Bharat Sangh, a non-governmental organisation founded in 1975 and led by Rajendra Singh, helped build 8,600 village ‘johads’ (water tanks) and other water conservation structures to recharge groundwater. Rooted in traditional wisdom and local culture, this programme has revived five rivers (viz., Arvari, Bhagani, Jahajwali, Ruparel, and Sarsa) in Rajasthan and brought water back to over 1,000 villages. The people of India urgently need to develop and implement such innovations for achieving sustainable development outcomes and building Viksit Bharat by 2047.
References:
Clingingsmith, David and Williamson, Jeffrey G. (2004) India’s De-Industrialization Under British Rule: New Ideas, New Evidence. Discussion Paper Number 2039. Harvard Institute of Economic Research. Available at SSRN.Independent Group of Scientists appointed by the Secretary-General (2023) Global Sustainable Development Report 2023: Times of crisis, times of change: Science for accelerating transformations to sustainable development. United Nations, New York