India's Energy Transition: A Mixed Bag of Progress and Challenge

India's energy landscape has achieved a milestone with non-fossil fuels now accounting for half of the country's installed energy capacity, years ahead of schedule. The government has hailed this as a landmark in India's energy transition journey. However, the country's reliance on coal for electricity generation remains significant, with nearly three-quarters of electricity still coming from coal-burning power plants. Climate experts warn that while the figures show a move towards cleaner energy, the actual generation from renewable sources is still low, and the transition to cleaner power requires a multi-pronged approach.

Key Takeaways:

• India's installed energy capacity from non-fossil fuels has reached 50 percent, five years ahead of schedule, under the Paris Agreement.
• Non-fossil fuels account for half of India's 484.8 GW installed capacity, with solar power contributing 119 GW, the third-largest level globally.
• Despite progress, coal remains crucial for India's energy mix, powering over 74 percent of the country's electricity and sustaining key industries like steel and cement.
• India's per capita emissions are only one-third of the global average, with the country setting itself the challenging goal of reducing emissions by 45 percent by 2030.
• Renewable energy storage capacity is a meagre 505 MWh, far lower than what can be generated, making it difficult to switch to cleaner power.
• India is building one of the world's largest solar and wind energy farms, but the storage bottleneck remains a significant challenge.
• The government is considering pump-hydro energy storage projects, but climate experts believe a multi-pronged approach is needed to accelerate the transition to cleaner power.

Statistics:

• 50 percent of India's installed energy capacity comes from non-fossil fuel sources.
• India has a total installed capacity of 484.8 GW, with solar power accounting for 119 GW.
• Solar power accounts for 29 percent of India's installed capacity.
• Coal still powers over 74 percent of India's electricity.
• India aims to reduce emissions by 45 percent by 2030.
• Renewable energy storage capacity is 505 MWh, a meagre amount compared to generation capacity.
• India's per capita emissions are only one-third of the global average.

Sources:

• Minister of Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi
• Climate expert Avantika Goswami, Centre for Science and Environment
• Coal ministry
• Harjeet Singh, head of the Satat Sampada Climate Foundation
• AFP
• World Bank