Impending energy crisis brings coal back into play
India’s pledge to become carbon-neutral by 2070 and its national energy plan seem to fall further apart. The latest National Electricity Plan (NEP) envisages the installed capacity of coal-based thermal power to rise by 23% from the current level by 2022-23. However, it is becoming increasingly clear that an even higher reliance on the “dirty fuel” than NEP may be required to avert a serious energy crisis in the country.
The peaking and subsequent phasing out of coal-fired power may get delayed. This because of a sharper-than-expected rise in domestic demand for power, and the realisation that renewable capacity addition could lag the tall targets.
