India's dependence on coal is hurting the country and the planet

Even though India suffers from climate change, it is also contributing to it.

India is at the forefront of climate change with extreme heat waves sweeping across much of the country this summer. Endemic water shortages, exacerbated by prolonged droughts, are a stark reminder of the formidable challenges posed by global warming.

Yet, even though India suffers from climate change, it is also contributing to it. Last year, global CO2 emissions grew at their fastest pace since 2013, with new coal-fired power plants contributing essentially to the increase, according to a report by the US government. International Energy Agency. Demand for coal increased in 2018 as a result of increased reliance on fossil fuels for electricity generation in India and China, offsetting lower CO2 emissions in Europe and the United States. in the USA.

"Due to increased energy consumption, global CO2 emissions related to energy have increased to 33.1%. [gigatons of] CO2, up 1.7%, "notes the IEA. "Coal-fired generation continues to be the leading emitter, with 30% of energy-related carbon dioxide emissions."

India's continued dependence on coal has also worsened chronic levels of air pollution, which are among the worst in the world in the country's urban centers. The environmental and health costs of widespread pollution are enormous in India, where millions of people, including young children, fall ill and often die from it. A team of experts warned that climate change would further aggravate air pollution, as reduced cloud cover will reduce precipitation and prevent toxic aerosols from being removed from cities and towns by natural means.

And the worst is perhaps yet to come. India is the second most populous country in the world and one of the fastest growing economies in the world, with growth of about 8% over the next decade. With the country's economy and middle clbad growing, India's electricity needs will continue to grow. A quarter of a billion Indians living in the vast rural hinterland still do not have access to electricity and will also need to be connected to the grid for India to get to reduce social and economic inequalities.

India generates about 1,160 billion electricity units a year, according to 2017 data, which represents an increase of 4.72% over the previous year. last year. India's current electricity generation capacity is about 334 gigawatts, making it the fifth in the world. In recent years, India has added 99.21 GW of capacity, mainly from thermal sources (91.73 GW), the rest from hydro and nuclear power (5.48 GW and 2 GW, respectively).

However, coal represents by far the largest share with 72% of the domestic energy derived from its combustion. India Coal, the country's largest coal producer, has optimistic prospects and plans for continued growth in the coming years. Domestic demand for electricity continues to outstrip supply, and the country's electricity needs are expected to double in two decades, creating much greater demand.

Disturbingly, many local politicians still view coal as the easiest way to increase supply in the short term, as India is the second largest producer and importer of coal in the world, after China. Coal plants pose health risks around the world, but particularly in India, where obsolete plants are the worst in the world in terms of their adverse health effects, according to a recent study by researchers from ETH Zurich.

Despite a global "slump" in the number of new coal plants, the sector remains relatively robust in China and India, which together account for 85 percent of new coal capacity since 2005, according to the Global Energy Monitor. India currently has a new 36 GW coal capacity that will add to the existing 220 GW. The country's national electricity plan plans to increase by 94 GW new coal-fired capacity by 2027.

However, some indicators indicate that the sector is starting to face obstacles. Banks and insurers are increasingly reluctant to support new coal-fired plants because of the substandard nature of many of today's highly polluting power plants in India. "The coal will not disappear in India, the existing fleet is likely to generate energy for at least two decades," said an badyst. "But the share of coal in production is likely to decline."

To replace coal, at least in part, India wants to increase its installed renewable energy capacity from 78 to 175 GW by 2022, with solar energy accounting for 100 GW in this sun-drenched country. By the year 2030, the share of renewable energy in the national electricity generation is expected to reach 40%, according to the ambitious plans of the government.

Nuclear power, currently the fifth largest source of electricity in the country, is also presented as a popular alternative to coal. India operates 22 reactors with a total capacity of 6.7 GW in its seven nuclear power plants currently built in their own country. Nuclear power represents only 2% of the country's electricity generation, but six more reactors are under construction and are expected to provide an additional 5.4 GW in a decade.

The country's government has ambitious plans not only for renewable energies, including solar energy, but also for nuclear power. The Indian Atomic Energy Commission predicts that by 2050, the country's nuclear capacity could reach 500 GW, which would make India a world leader in the production of nuclear energy.