The proposal marks a major departure from current projections that net growth will peak by 2035
Modi: India, Russia agree on economic cooperation program to expand trade until 2030
The energy plan links to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ambitions to make the country energy independent and upgrade its status from developing to developed by 2050. Since coal reserves will last for a century, policymakers choose coal as the primary means to achieve these goals. Current discussions suggest total coal-fired power capacity could reach 420 gigawatts by 2047, an 87% increase from today.
The government is also planning a rapid expansion of renewable energy and battery storage systems, but those sources come with geopolitical risks, the people say. China, with which India shares a disputed border, dominates much of the supply chain for batteries and solar panels.
Some of the proposed additions to coal would be used to balance the grid as renewables come online. The ministry is encouraging more flexible operation of power plants and offering incentives to operators who incur additional costs in the process.
While increasing coal production meets energy security requirements, it will impose some costs on India's efforts to combat climate change.
India, the world's third-largest polluter, has so far failed to follow the example of more than 115 other countries that have signed the Paris Agreement and meet the target. this year is the deadline for the publication of new emission reduction strategies until 2035.
