Coal Vs Renewables: Learning To Live With Each Other

Coal Vs Renewables: Learning To Live With Each Other

- VK Arora

There is nothing to cheer about the financial health of the power companies. Those who have invested in mega and ultra-mega power projects based on coal are finding themselves in a serious financial crisis because of adventurous bidding.

Prices of renewables have nosedived, apparently, as a consequence of over enthusiastic response to solar and wind projects.

Amidst the gloom, there are some encouraging stories. On May 18, 2016, Germany consumed 100 percent renewable energy against the demand of 45.8 GW on that day. The United Kingdom had no coal-fired power stations running on May 10, 2016 for 4 hours, running only on renewables. This is the shape of things to come in the future.

Against this European backdrop, in India, Tamil Nadu had generated 500 MW of wind energy for the first time in August this year while rendering the highest-ever single day generation, exceeding 100 gigawatt-hours. In order to accommodate the excess wind energy, the state had to reduce thermal generation by 50 percent. Tamil Nadu has achieved this despite the fact that 40 percent of the wind power generated was lost due to inadequate transmission capacity.

The Ministry of New & Renewable Energy has directed states to procure all electricity generated from solar and wind energy projects, even if they have to shut down their thermal power sources. This directive has not been implemented fully because there is a lack of adequate transmission capacity.

Building synergy between renewables and fossil fuels

The government has committed to provide ‘Power to All’ within the next 4 years. All villages are to be electrified before 2022.