India’s Energy Mix

Topic: Economy

Section: Energy

Context- While downscaling coal, India needs to look beyond solar, at hydel and nuclear power- IPCC

Concept-

The latest report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) counts India among the countries more vulnerable to climate change, which underscores the need for urgent action.
India has committed to raise its non-fossil fuel capacity to 500 GW by 2030, from 152 GW now.
To triple its non-fossil fuel power in nine years, India has to look beyond solar.
Wind Energy an estimated potential of 700 GW at a hub height of 120 meters.
India has built up 40 GW of wind capacity.
Oﬀshore wind power is too expensive — around ₹8 a kWh — essentially due to high installation costs.
Large hydro potential is estimated at 145 GW, is thrice as much as the existing capacity.
Between 1971 and 1991, India built 1,592 large dams (according to the National Register of Large Dams) , averaging 80 a year;
Nuclear power, capacity today is 6,780 MW. There seems to be little scope for adding more than the proposed 10 PHWRs of 700MW each and four more 1,000 MW plants at Kudankulam.
Oceans, like large hydro and nuclear, can provide 24×7 base load energy.
Coal will remain essential as a baseload power source. Carbon emissions can be controlled through carbon capture and utilisation (or sequestration) technologies.
India needs a mix of all sources in the right measure.