Coal production up, a spike in fuel energy production and consumption, and the phasing out of diesel and petrol run buses over the last six months
India, in accordance with its national and sub-regional plans and pledges that it made during COP26 in Glasgow in November 2021, has been undertaking efforts and initiatives, collating data sets to inspire people, institutions, and private sector to take tangible measures for India to be able to cut its carbon emissions by 50% by 2030 in short term in lead up to its net neutrality goal on a long term basis.
The table below captures comparative data sets on coal, fuel energy, renewable, electric vehicles, and pricing between months of January and June, 2022.
India’s Performance Indicators for 50% Carbon Emissions Cut by 2030
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Performance Indicators Baseline Value Baseline Date
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Coal Production 79.64 MT January 2022
(137.85 MT) (June 2022)
Renwables
– Production 9639.40 (S+W) MU January 2022
(17,142.65 S+W) MU (June 2022)
– Amount of Use 280 MU (S+W) January 2022
536 MU (S+W) (June 2022)
– Cost INR 4.19 (WAP) January 2022
(INR 6.49) WAP (June 2022)
Number of EVs 49,676 January 2022
(72,452) (June 2022)
Fuel Energy
– Production 2,35,929 MW January 2022
(2,36,088MW) (June 2022)
– Amount of Use 17.61 MMT January 2022
(36.5 MMT) (June 2022)
– Cost INR 80 per ltr (WAP) January 2022
(INR 93 per ltr) WAP (June 2022)
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Abbreviations: Metric Tonne (MT), Indian Rupee (INR), Million Metric Tonnes (MMT), Mega Watt (MW), Weighted Average Price (WAP)
Sources: Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Ministry of Coal, monthly, Central Electricity Authority, monthly, Indian Energy Exchange (IEX), Monthly, Ministry of Power, Monthly, Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell, Monthly, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Government of India, Monthly, 2022
Analysis
India has initiated plans to achieve its climate goals and environmental concerns as per its sub-regional and national plans. The table above depicts the uptake in fossil fuel that includes coal production having jumped some 30% in six months’ time period between January and June 2022 due to sudden hike in industrial activities post COVID-19 period, pent up demand in consumables, energy crisis due to Russia-Ukraine war, and extreme hot weather conditions.
The situation also corresponds to fuel energy figures with a spike both in its production and consumption numbers. It is however interesting to note that the weighted average pricing (WAP) of fuel energy has also gone up due to deregulated market conditions in the country. The energy crisis due to ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and its impact on consumables are also to blame for the trend.
It is worth mentioning though that the country has been taking concrete steps towards gradually cleaning up pollution from urban centres by slowly phasing out diesel and petrol run buses and vehicles and by introducing electric vehicles, the number of which over last six months has gone up from approximately 50,000 to 72,000. This has brought relief to travellers and cleaned up pollution with a reduction in carbon emissions. It has been aided by deep subsidies that the government is putting in to popularise the use of public transport.
It is also interesting to note that renewable energy sources are posting healthy gains both on supply and demand side. However, the weighted average price (WAP) for consumers has gone up between the designated period due to supply chain disruptions in material availability both on account of pent up demands due to COVID-19, and ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
India has been taking steps geared to achieve both its short term and long term climate goals. Political will appears evident and people seem to be mending their life styles to contribute to the cause of a healthy planet both at the local as well as at the national levels. Collective action by private sector, government and people together in achieving climate goals seems to be picking up momentum and beginning to pay off with positive results.
This Post was submitted by Climate Scorecard India Country Manager Pooran Chandra Pandey