Fired up and plugged in – India balancing economic growth with climate action

Source: The post India balancing economic growth with climate action has been created, based on the article “Fired up and plugged in” published in “The Hindu” on 23rd January 2024.

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper 3- Indian economy- growth and development, infrastructure,

Fired up and plugged in – India balancing economic growth with climate action, The article discusses India’s efforts to reduce its reliance on coal and increase renewable energy use, while maintaining economic growth and energy security.

What is The Current Status of Energy in India?

The current energy status in India is as follows:

Growth in Renewables: India aims to nearly triple its renewable power capacity by 2030.

Decarbonisation Efforts: Significant reduction in fossil fuel subsidies (76% decrease from FY14 to FY22) and investment in renewable energy, despite coal’s ongoing importance.

Reliance on Coal: Over 100 GW of base power load support is provided by coal-based power plants daily.

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What Strategy Should be Implemented To Improve Energy Generation From a Coal-based Plant?

Improve Thermal Plant Outages Management: In 2023, around 38 GW of coal-based power plants in India experienced unplanned outages during the top 10% peak demand days. Enhancing the availability and utilization of these plants can mitigate the need for new thermal assets. This involves better demand forecasting and maintenance scheduling.

Enhance Flexibility of Existing Coal Fleet: The Central Electricity Authority of India proposes retrofitting approximately 92% of the current coal and lignite-based capacity for improved flexibility. This includes reducing minimum power loads and enhancing ramp rate capabilities. States like Haryana and Uttar Pradesh have developed payment mechanisms to support one-time retrofitting costs and increased operation and maintenance expenses.

Incentivize Payment for Storage Services: Standalone battery energy storage systems (BESS) add significant costs to electricity units. Entities deploying BESS should be compensated for their contribution to grid stability and renewable energy integration.

Indigenize Supply Chains for Storage and Renewable Technologies: Coal production in FY22 generated significant revenue for the government and the Indian Railways. Similarly, investments in domestic production of storage and renewable technologies, supported by schemes like PLI, can lead to substantial domestic value addition and job creation.

Way forward

India’s path forward should concentrate on balancing energy security with global decarbonization goals. This involves a thorough evaluation of the long-term costs associated with conventional power reliance, while taking advantage of decreasing prices in renewable energy and storage. Ensuring electricity affordability across all economic sectors will lay the groundwork for more robust decarbonization efforts in the coming years.

Question for practice:

Evaluate India’s approach to achieving a balance between economic growth and climate action.