{"id":1558,"date":"2023-05-27T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-05-27T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/current_affairs\/uncategorized\/27-05-2023\/a-way-out-of-the-coal-trap\/"},"modified":"2023-05-27T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2023-05-27T00:00:00","slug":"a-way-out-of-the-coal-trap","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/editorial-analysis\/27-05-2023\/a-way-out-of-the-coal-trap","title":{"rendered":"A Way Out of the Coal Trap"},"content":{"rendered":"

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A Way Out of the Coal Trap<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h1>\n
Syllabus: GS3\/ Conservation\/Environmental Pollution & Degradation<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
In Context<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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It seems the government is contemplating a ban on setting up new coal-based power stations.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Coal In India<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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About:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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Coal is the most important and abundant fossil fuel in India. It accounts for 55% of the country’s energy needs. The country’s industrial heritage was built upon indigenous coal.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Indian coal offers a unique eco-friendly fuel source to the domestic energy market for the next century and beyond. Hard coal deposits spread over 27 major coalfields, are mainly confined to eastern and south-central parts of the country.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
India is the second-largest coal importer despite having the world’s fourth-largest reserves, and coal powers nearly three-fourths of the country’s electricity demand.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
Coal-based power plants:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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A coal-fired power station or coal power plant is a thermal power station which burns coal to generate electricity.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
They generate about a third of the world’s electricity, but cause many illnesses and the most early deaths, mainly from air pollution.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Ban on coal-based power stations vs power demand<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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About the ban:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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The government may need to rethink upon the ban on setting up new coal-based power stations. Although, the plants which are already under construction will be allowed to continue.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
Power demand:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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The government has said that in order to meet the<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> power demand in 2029-30<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>, an<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> additional capacity of about 16,000 MW <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>of coal-based capacity would be required.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
This would be over and above the capacity of about 27,000 MW already under construction.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
The need for additional capacity of 16,900 MW has been cited in the report of the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Central Electricity Authority (CEA)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> called <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Optimal Generation Capacity Mix<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>, which was released recently.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Issues<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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Ban and demand mismatch:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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The question is, How are we to meet our demand in 2029-30 if no new coal-based plants are allowed?<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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The government probably feels that the additional capacity of about 16,000 MW of coal-based capacity may ultimately not be required, primarily for following reasons.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
Different reports with different demands:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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There are two versions of the report of the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Central Electricity Authority (CEA)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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The first was published in January 2020 and the second in April 2023.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
The demand for power in 2029-30 in the second report is based on the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>20th Electric Power Survey (EPS)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> whereas the first report looked at the estimates of the 19th EPS.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
The 19th EPS had projected a peak demand of<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> 340 GW in 2029-30<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> whereas the figure indicated in the 20th EPS is<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> 334 GW<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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Similarly, the energy demand for the 19th and 20th EPS are 2,400 BUs and 2,313 BUs, respectively.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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Perception of the report:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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Historically, CEA\u2019s power demand projections are known to be <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>exaggerated<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> and, perhaps, the government feels the actual demand in 2029-30 <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>could be even lower than the projections<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> in the 20th EPS.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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Changing shape of the load curve:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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The changing shape of the load curve is, perhaps, another reason why the government feels this additional capacity of 16,000 MW may not be required.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Traditionally, in India, <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>there have been two peaks in a day <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>and the<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> evening peak is usually higher<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> than the morning though there are seasonal variations.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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To meet the evening peak, which used to <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>occur at around 7 pm<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>, we had to rely on coal-based capacity as economically viable storage options were limited.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
However, the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>evening peak is actually occurring at about 4 pm<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> in the last two to three years.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
This is good news since this peak can be met through solar power and hence, <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>we can lower our need for coal-based capacity<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
There are some indications that the peak time may get further advanced to <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>maybe 2 pm,<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> which could enable us to further cut down the need for coal-based capacity.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
Retirement of units:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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In the second version of the CEA report, the required capacity for coal-based stations in 2029-30 has come down.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
This decrease is on account of the reasons mentioned above and also because of a major change in policy relating to the retirement of units after they complete 25 years.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
This version mentions that about 2,121 MW of coal-based capacity would be retired by 2030 whereas the earlier version of this report stated that about 25,000 MW of coal-based capacity would be retired by 2030.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Suggestions & way ahead<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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Continuing with older units:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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Carrying on with generating units that are <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>more than 25 years old<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> is<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> not a bad idea<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> since the station heat rate of well-maintained plants <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>does not get adversely affected with age<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
The <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>advantages <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>of carrying on with old plants are that<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> the transmission links are already there<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> and that the coal linkages are maintained.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
However, such plants should sell their power in exchange instead of signing fresh PPAs.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
Banning new units:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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Renouncing the need for additional coal-based capacity is also a good idea.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
However, we must ensure that we do not miss the targets set for the other sources, especially solar and wind-based capacities.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Daily Mains Question<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
[Q]<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> The government may need to rethink the ban on setting up new coal-based power stations considering the rising power demand. Analyse.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n
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A Way Out of the Coal Trap Syllabus: GS3\/ Conservation\/Environmental Pollution & Degradation In Context It seems the government is contemplating a ban on setting up new coal-based power stations.\u00a0 Coal In India\u00a0 About: Coal is the most important and abundant fossil fuel in India. It accounts for 55% of the country’s energy needs. The […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1559,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[54,36,26],"class_list":["post-1558","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-editorial-analysis","tag-biodiversity-and-environment","tag-conservation","tag-gs-3"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2023\/07\/2586387Screenshot_2.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1558","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1558"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1558\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1559"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1558"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1558"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1558"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}