India will remain heavily dependent on coal as the largest source of power generation for the next decade, even with its efforts to ramp up renewable energy projects, according to a government report published on Thursday.
The Central Electric Authority (CEA) said additional plants will need to be built as coal-fired power generation will still account for about 54% of India’s total electricity output in 2030. Fossil fuel currently accounts for almost three-quarters of the country’s power generation.
India is reportedly the world’s third-largest emitter of carbon dioxide. It is looking for ways to meet surging electricity demands, while at the same time setting ambitious goals to decarbonize its power sector.
“Availability of affordable and reliable electricity is a key factor in sustainable growth of the country,” Ghanshyam Prasad, chairperson of the CEA, said in the report.
India plans to phase out about 2 gigawatts of coal-burning plants and install solar, wind, hydro, biomass, and nuclear plants with a total capacity of more than 500 gigawatts by 2030.
Meanwhile, new coal plants designed to deliver about 27 gigawatts are already under construction and an additional 19.1 gigawatts may have to be built to cover India’s energy needs, according to the CEA.
Emissions from India’s power sector are expected to surge by about 11% on current levels by the end of the decade, the authority said, and will reach 1,114 million tons of carbon dioxide.
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