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Promoting 100% Renewable Energy
Affordable and Clean Energy Sustainable Investment Policy Carbon Reduction GHG Emissions Report Net Zero by 2035 Energy Efficient Buildings and Renovations Policy Plans in Place to Upgrade Buildings to Higher Energy Efficiency Processes for Carbon Management or Reduction of Carbon Dioxide Emissions Energy Reviews to Identify High Energy Wastage Divestment Policy Energy Efficiency Advocacy Promoting 100% renewable energy Energy Efficiency Services For Industry Policy Development for Clean Energy Technology Assistance to Low-Carbon Innovation

Promoting 100% renewable energy

JGU is committed to powering its campus with clean, reliable and renewable energy. Our long-term vision is to move steadily towards 100% renewable energy, and we are building towards it through solar generation, efficient buildings, electric mobility and education. This commitment aligns our energy transition with SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and SDG 13 (Climate Action), and it forms part of our sustainability framework, our institutional policies and our ongoing operational improvements. We intend to show other universities, in India and worldwide, how sustainable practice can work at scale.

Net-Zero Commitment and Climate Action Plan

JGU has committed to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions across its operations by 2035, and it is a signatory to the Race to Zero initiative. The transition to renewable energy is a central part of our campus-wide climate action strategy. Our commitments include:

  • Net-zero target: net-zero greenhouse gas emissions across our operations by 2035.

  • Emissions tracking: we completed a comprehensive Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions assessment for the fiscal year 2024–25 under the GHG Protocol, with an external firm, and we plan to extend our assessment to Scope 3.

  • Climate Action Plan 2025: this sets out structured goals for campus decarbonisation, efficiency and resource management.

Renewable Energy on Our Campus

Solar power is at the centre of our transition. JGU has 2.4 MW of on-site solar photovoltaic capacity, and it has expanded rapidly. In 2025, newly commissioned installations at Gate 1, Gate 2 and the Naveen Jindal Sports Academy joined the existing rooftop arrays across hostels, academic buildings, administrative blocks and the Vidya Devi Jindal Dining Block. Our solar installations generated 11,82,486.4 kWh of electricity in 2024 and 25,56,308.4 kWh in 2025, an increase of more than 100% in a single year. This avoided about 2,096 tonnes of CO₂e in 2025 and has meaningfully reduced our reliance on grid electricity.

Our independent Energy Audit examined grid electricity, solar generation, diesel generator use, air conditioning, lighting, fans, water pumps and power factor management across the entire campus. It found a clear and significant shift towards energy efficiency and renewable generation, and it confirmed that grid consumption fell even as the campus population grew. We are installing additional solar PV plants on campus to scale up renewable generation and cut our dependence on grid power, and we are exploring open-access renewable energy and green power procurement models. Our target is to meet 80% of campus electricity needs with solar by 2030.

Core Action Areas

  • Building efficiency and materials: we are upgrading new and existing infrastructure with high-efficiency construction materials and green building standards, and moving the remaining lighting fixtures to LEDs. Intelligent energy management systems monitor and optimise consumption, and automated building controls and retrofitted appliances support low-carbon operations. Sensor lights and intelligent thermostats adjust to occupancy and temperature, high-efficiency BLDC fans and VRV air conditioning cut cooling and ventilation loads, and insulated panels lower the HVAC load by up to 20%.

  • Green belt and microclimate: we are expanding our green cover and tree plantations, which combats the urban heat island effect and supports natural cooling. More than half of our campus is green and landscaped space.

  • Sustainable transportation: we are expanding EV charging stations, running campus shuttle services, encouraging carpooling and restricting personal vehicle entry, as we work towards a decarbonised campus fleet. A fleet of 20 electric golf carts serves about 9,000 students daily, and the campus also has 30 electric bikes, electric utility vehicles, wheelchair accessible electric carts and 15 EV charging points. About 35% of our vehicle fleet is electric, and every golf cart is fossil-fuel free, which avoids about 60.7 tonnes of CO₂e a year. Our free employee shuttle reduces reliance on personal vehicles.

Building Renewable Energy Literacy

Renewable energy education is built into our curriculum, our research agenda and our student engagement programmes. Students can take interdisciplinary courses, climate-focused electives and research projects in environmental science, public policy, international relations and global governance. Our centres and institutes research decarbonisation pathways, energy justice, climate negotiations and sustainable development. Our researchers also work on solar thermal systems, green hydrogen and off-grid solar for farmers, and are exploring innovative technologies such as piezoelectric tiles for energy harvesting.

Climate Change and Clean Energy Workshop, AISP-2024. The Aspire India Scholars Programme (AISP-2024), a summer school for students in Grades 9 to 12, included a thematic workshop on climate change and clean energy, organised by the International Institute for Higher Education Research & Capacity Building (IIHEd). It combined science, policy, emerging technology and sustainability innovation through interactive sessions, case discussions and guided activities. Students examined the causes and impacts of climate change, the shift to renewable energy and the role of young people in climate resilience. Topics included solar, wind, electric mobility, energy storage and community-led sustainability projects, with examples from India and abroad, and participants completed hands-on learning, expert interactions and collaborative mini-projects.

Global Partnerships for Climate Action

JGU is a signatory to the CANIE Accord, a public commitment to climate action developed with leaders of international education bodies, which commits the university to align with scientific recommendations and global climate agreements. We are also a Race to Zero signatory, and we take part in networks such as the Higher Education Sustainability Initiative and the United Nations Academic Impact. Our 2025 sustainability reporting was shared at the Mumbai Sustainability Conclave and at the India-Japan Higher Education Forum in Tokyo, so that other institutions can learn from our progress.

A Roadmap Towards a Carbon-Neutral, Renewable-Powered Future

Our roadmap rests on clean energy investment, new technology and sustainability-oriented behaviour change, with the aim of strengthening energy security and cutting costs and emissions. It includes additional solar PV, smart energy monitoring by 2026, a decarbonised campus fleet, and net-zero operations by 2035. Through collaboration, policy engagement, research and community participation, JGU aims to be a model of renewable energy at scale, with a campus that runs entirely on clean, renewable energy.