India's Energy Diversification Strategy Amid Global Pressure
Key Ideas
- India reaffirms the significance of thermal power, alongside renewables, to meet energy demands and reduce emissions, amidst global pressure to phase out coal.
- Challenges associated with renewable energy deployment, such as intermittency and grid integration, necessitate a diversified energy mix, including hydrogen.
- The Economic Survey emphasizes the importance of international cooperation in R&D for various energy sectors to facilitate the transition to low-carbon pathways.
- The document advocates for a balanced approach to climate change, focusing on both immediate policy goals for welfare improvement and long-term climate management.
The Economic Survey of India underscores the country's commitment to maintaining coal as a crucial part of its energy mix to support the deployment of renewables while meeting energy demands and reducing carbon emissions. Despite pressure to phase out coal-based power generation, India recognizes the developmental needs that warrant the expansion of thermal power. The survey acknowledges the risks associated with large-scale renewable energy deployment, highlighting the importance of supplementing renewables with non-fossil fuel sources like nuclear, biofuels, and hydrogen. Diversification in energy sources, including renewables, green hydrogen, nuclear, and biofuels, is deemed essential to mitigate risks and achieve low-emission pathways. The document stresses the necessity for international cooperation in research and development across various energy sectors. It also calls for a balanced approach to climate change, advocating for a focus on immediate policy goals to enhance human welfare alongside long-term global climate management.