In the last few years, India has made record strides in adopting solar energy everywhere, from trains to traffic lights and even airports. The rush for solar power has accompanied a mission to electrify every village by 2018 – a target which has already been met by up to 77 percent. India’s actions on renewable energy mean that the country will effortlessly meet its emissions intensity targets under the Paris Convention, as part of its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC).
However, the draft National Energy Policy underlined one energy source whose importance has not changed to match the times – that of coal. Despite solar power becoming cheaper than coal, India still plans to double coal production by 2040.
To be put to use, coal must be burned. Every ton of coal that is burned releases 2.86 tons of CO2. In 2015, India emitted over 2.47 billion tonnes of CO2 – 47 percent of which came from coal-fired power plants.
In perspective, renewable energy sources (wind, solar, biomass, waste-to-energy) contribute only about 15 percent of India’s energy needs (figures from October, 2016). As a share of primary energy, this was only three percent of the country’s needs in 2012.
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