India's power output soars to a 33-year high driven by coal-fueled plants
3 min read . Updated: 06 Apr 2023, 05:56 AM IST
PremiumThe significant rise in green energy output prevented 32.5 million tonnes of CO2 emissions that would have otherwise resulted from coal-fired power generation.
According to a Reuters analysis of government data, India's power generation witnessed its highest growth rate in over 30 years in the previous fiscal year.
This surge in electricity production resulted in a sharp increase in emissions as both coal-fired and renewable plants recorded record outputs.
The rise in power demand due to intense summer heatwaves, a colder-than-usual winter in northern India, and an economic recovery compelled India to increase its power output from coal plants and solar farms, preventing power cuts.
An analysis of daily load data from regulator Grid-India showed that power generation in India increased by 11.5% to 1,591.11 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) in the fiscal year ending in March 2023. This rise in power generation was the highest since the year ending March 1990.
The analysis revealed that fossil-fuel-based plants witnessed an 11.2% growth, the highest in over 30 years, with coal-fired plants recording a 12.4% surge in electricity production, compensating for a 28.7% decrease in cleaner gas-fired plant output due to high global liquefied natural gas (LNG) prices.
In the new fiscal year that began April 1, Indian power plants are expected to burn about 8% more coal.
The rapid acceleration in India's coal-fired output to address a spike in power demand underscores challenges faced by the world's third largest greenhouse gas-emitter in weaning its economy off carbon, as it attempts to ensure energy security to around 1.4 billion Indians.
Total power supplied during the last fiscal year was 1509.15 billion kWh, 8.4% higher than a year earlier but still 6.69 billion units short of demand, the widest deficit in six years.
Electricity generated from coal rose to 1,162.91 billion kWh, the data showed, with its share in overall output rising to 73.1% - the highest level since the year ending March 2019.
India's Central Electricity authority estimates that 1 million kWh of power produced from coal generates 975 tonnes of carbon dioxide, while the same amount of power generated from gas produces 475 tonnes. A plant fired by lignite, known as brown coal, emits 1,280 tonnes to produce equivalent power.
RENEWABLES PUSH
Increased fossil fuel burning for power in the world's fifth largest economy drove up CO2 emissions during the year by nearly a sixth, to 1.15 billion tonnes, Reuters calculations based on government data and emissions estimates show.
That is 3.4% of the International Energy Agency's estimate of annual global emissions of 33.8 billion tonnes in 2022.
Many major countries boosted coal use in the twelve months due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, but the rise was steepest in India, data from energy think-tank Ember shows.
The government has defended India's high coal use citing lower per capita emissions compared with richer nations and rising renewable energy output.
After missing a target to install 175 GW in renewable energy capacity by 2022, India is trying to boost non-fossil capacity - solar and wind energy, nuclear and hydro power, and bio-power - to 500 GW by 2030.
During the fiscal year that recently ended, India's solar capacity additions increased by 20%, leading to a record increase of 33.3 billion units or 21.7% in renewable energy output to 187.1 billion units, as per data analysis.
The significant rise in green energy output prevented 32.5 million tonnes of CO2 emissions that would have otherwise resulted from coal-fired power generation.
The data also revealed that the share of renewables in power generation, excluding large hydro and nuclear power, increased from 10.8% to 11.8% in 2022/23, primarily due to a 35% rise in solar output.