Evaluate the role of thermal plants in India's energy strategy amidst growing renewable energy sources. What measures can enhance the efficiency of coal-based power generation whil

GS3 Infrastructure
Evaluate the role of thermal plants in India's energy strategy amidst growing renewable energy sources. What measures can enhance the efficiency of coal-based power generation while ensuring sustainability?

Evaluate

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The Hindu

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Thermal Power in India’s Energy Mix: Context

  • Coal-based plants supply ~65–70% of peak demand (≈256 GW, 2025), providing baseload and dispatchable power critical for grid stability amid rising renewables.

Evidence For: Continued Relevance

  • Reliability & Grid Stability Thermal plants ensure round-the-clock supply, bridging renewable intermittency.
  • Energy Security Comfortable coal stocks (~200 MT; 80+ days cover) and stable depletion trends support short-term resilience (CEA data).
  • Infrastructure Lock-in Existing assets and workforce make thermal central to the current energy architecture.

Evidence Against: Limitations

  • Environmental Costs High CO₂ emissions, air pollution, and water-intensive operations conflict with Paris Agreement/NDC targets.
  • Stranded Asset Risk Rapid RE expansion (~44 GW solar added FY26) may render older plants economically unviable.
  • Fiscal & Health Burden Subsidies and externalities impose hidden economic costs (Economic Survey on environmental externalities).

Measures to Enhance Efficiency & Sustainability

  • Technology Upgradation Shift to supercritical/ultra-supercritical units; retire subcritical plants (CEA phased retirement plan).
  • Co-firing & Fuel Innovation Biomass co-firing (5–10%), pilot green ammonia blending reduce emissions (MoP directives).
  • Emission Controls Install FGDs, low-NOx burners to meet norms (MoEFCC standards, 2015).
  • Water & Flexibility Improvements Adopt dry cooling, enhance ramping capability to complement RE.
  • Carbon Market Signals Leverage PAT scheme and emerging carbon markets for efficiency incentives.

Weighing

  • Renewables are expanding rapidly, but storage (BESS) and grid flexibility remain limited, especially for evening peaks.

Conclusion

  • Thermal power remains indispensable in the transition phase, but not indefinitely.
  • India needs a managed decline strategy—simultaneous RE+BESS scaling with thermal efficiency upgrades and phased retirement—to ensure reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy security.