India's climate change pledge won't hinder its coal output plan

Urmi Goswami, ET Bureau Jan 29, 2015, 05.26AM IST
(India’s ambitious plans…)

NEW DELHI: India's ambitious plans to more than double coal output to increase power generation will not face the heat of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's commitment to tackle climate change. Ironically, the carbon-emitting fuel got protection from the government's plans to ramp up its solar power capacity five-fold. Coal was given a wide berth in the Modi-Obama climate and energy deal.

Coal-fired plants accounted for 154,000 MW of India's total power generation capacity of about 255,680 MW as of December 31. Thermal generation capacity is expected to keep growing even though Indian coal is high in ash content, making it more polluting. The government has announced plans to double annual coal production to 1 billion tonnes in five years.

The absence of reference to clean coal technologies like carbon capture and storage in the partnership agreement is perhaps reflective of the Indian government's ability to put across the message that while it will augment its renewable portfolio, it will not jeopardise its development goals and economic growth.

This, despite the global mood and science making it clear that unexploited fossil fuels should remain in the ground. The general view is that India's biggest renewable push is just the beginning. This view is based on Modi's track record on solar power during his tenure as Gujarat chief minister. Geologist and Britain's green energy entrepreneur, Jeremy Leggett, who is founder and chairman of the UK's largest independent solar power company, Solarcentury, said, "Prime Minister Modi gets it about solar power in a way many other leaders don't," referring to the Gujarat experience.

The 100-GW solar target, the dedicated mission to increase wind energy generation and waste-to-energy, as well as increasing the share of biomass, appear to have sent out the message that India has begun its transition to energy sources that produce less or no carbon.

"We welcome India's massive push for renewable energy. India must now evaluate its energy-related decisions for the next 20 to 30 years and take measures that will benefit the economy and environment," said Achim Steiner, head of the United Nations Environment Programme. New Delhi argues that its energy needs are massive, a fact that no one disputes, and by augmenting its renewable portfolio, it is slowing down the ramp up of its coal-based power infrastructure.