The nation, one of the world’s top carbon emitters, has around 27 gigawatts of coal-based power plants constructing, and another 24 gigawatts of capacity is in the pre-construction stages, as per Power Minister Raj Kumar Singh.

The sustained increase in coal-fired generation climaxes India’s addiction to the dullest fossil fuel despite a home to the world’s most polluted cities, with the capital New Delhi. According to the ministry’s Central Electricity Authority, fossil fuel books for about three-quarters of India’s power manufacture and generate half of India’s electricity by decade end.

Coal consumption surged as the economic rebound has pushed up electricity demand. Gruelling heat waves boosted power consumption as homes and businesses upgraded cooling applications. The country also goals to produce 500 gigawatts by 2030 from solar, wind and other renewable sources.

India’s federal administration is also working on an output-linked incentive plan to inspire investments in grid-scale storage schemes, vital for round-the-clock renewable capacity supplies. The government’s funding will aim to decrease costs and make the storage projects viable. India may require about 370 gigawatts of energy storage capacity by 2030.