Context :
Coal
India to see Rs 2 lakh crore investment in next 5 years / Eco
Times – 13 Nov 2020
Extract (
from an interview with Shri Pralhad Joshi – Union Minister, Coal )
[ Joshi.pralhad@sansad.nic.in / pralhadvjoshi@gmail.com / officeofpralhadjoshiji@gmail.com
]
As on date, we are
extracting around 700 million. If we keep doing
that in the same rate, we have got coal for almost 400 years in future. This is the time we
should use our coal. China burns 3.5 billion tons coal annually and their
industry and economy is growing because coal is one of
the most economical sources of power
Ø Our
import cost before last year was around Rs 2,60,000 crore despite having one of
the largest reserves
Ø We
are going to invest Rs 2,00,000 crore in Coal
India in the next 5 years. Of this, Rs 1,20,000
crore will be spent towards coal infrastructure only
===================================================
Why do I say, “ Money down the
pit ? “
Simple.
Due to unviability ( plant load factor / PLF / of less
than 50 % ), coal fired power plants are closing down
If coal-based power plants are closing down, then who
will need that coal ? Why spend fortunes ?
Here is proof :
Coal
fired plants shut down in
India during fiscal 2019-20 / 52 units closed down
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thermal
power plants' PLF declines to 47.9 per cent in May: India Ratings / 26
June 2020
Extact :
Ø
Thermal
power plants' plant load factor (PLF) declined to 47.9
per cent in May 2020 from 63.6 per cent in the
corresponding period last year On the account of lower power demand, said credit rating agency India
Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra).
Ø
Ind-Ra
said adding that with decrease in demand, electricity generation also decreased
by 17.7 per cent year on year basis to 96.3 billion units in May, with thermal generation
declining 21.4 per cent.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Coal-fired
power is not on track
Extract :
Ø Spending on coal-fired
power reached a decade low and final investment decisions for new plants continued to
decline.
Ø Preliminary IEA
analysis indicates a sharp drop in power sector coal demand in 2020 as a result of
the Covid-19 crisis, with coal showing the greatest uncertainty of all fuels
used for power.
Ø Looking ahead, coal-fired generation without CCUS needs to decrease 5.3% per year to 2030 to be in line with
the SDS.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mapped:
The world’s coal power plants
Extract :
Ø More recently, 268 GW has closed due to a wave of retirements across the EU and US. Combined with a rapid
slowdown in the number of new plants being built, this means the number of coal units operating around the world
fell for the first time in 2018, Carbon
Brief analysis suggests.
Ø Another 213 GW is already set
to retire and 19 of the world’s 80
coal-powered countries plan a complete phaseout of the fuel, including the UK and Germany.
Ø It would now be cheaper to build new wind and solar than
to keep running half of existing coal plants.
Ø Note that between 2010 and 2019, only 35% of planned capacity was built or started construction (993GW), whereas 1,815 GW was cancelled or shelved, according to Global
Energy Monitor.
Ø But new
coal is now more expensive than renewables in all major markets around the world, according to recently released analysis from think tank Carbon
Tracker.
Ø All unabated coal would have to close by 2040 to stay “well below” 2C, according to the
International Energy Agency (IEA). This would mean closing 100 GW of coal capacity every year for 20 years, or roughly one coal unit every day until 2040
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bluewaters coal-fired power station written off as worthless as
renewables rise
/ abc.net / 18 Dec 2020
Extract :
The owners of Australia's newest coal-fired power station have written down the value of the asset to zero,
wiping out a $1.2 billion investment in the face of an onslaught of renewable
energy.
· The Bluewaters coal-fired plant in Collie is barely ten years old. Its Japanese
owners have written it off as worthless
·
· The move is being pinned on the rise of renewable energy
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Average
cost of state electricity supply across India from financial year 2009 to 2019
Extract :
Ø During fiscal year 2019, the average cost of state
electricity supplied in India was 5.43 Indian
rupees per kilowatt hour. Being the third largest
producer as well as consumer of electricity in the world, the country's
national electric grid had an installed generation capacity of approximately 356 gigawatts.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
India
solar tariffs at record low / HT – 24 Nov 2020
Extract
:
Ø India’ solar power tariff hit a new low of Rs 2 per unit on Monday
at a bid by state-run Solar Energy Corp. of India Ltd (SECI), said a government
official, seeking anonymity. The previous low was Rs 2.36 per unit
Related Reading :
Solar
Power at Rs 1 per Kwh ?................................[ 29 Jan 2017 ]
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Coal
India plans to invest Rs 5,650 crore in solar power projects /
Business Line / 24 Nov 2020
Extract :
Ø
State-owned Coal
India on Monday said it plans to set up 14 rooftop and
ground-mounted solar power projects of 3,000 Mw capacity by 2023-24, which will entail an investment of Rs 5,650 crore.
Ø
Coal
India (CIL) is mandated by the coal ministry to become a net
zero carbon company. Solar power initiative is a part of CIL’s diversification
plans, the PSU said in a filing to BSE.
Question :
In light of the above-mentioned facts /
trends, one wonders :
“ Why is CIL planning to spend Rs 2,00,000 crore on coal ?
Why not spend that amount on installing Solar
Power ?
With that kind of funds, CIL would be
able to generate 105 GW
of Solar power – and within ONE
YEAR , instead of
3 GW
in 3 years “
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PLI
scheme for solar modules coming, says PM
/ Business Line / 27 Nov 2020
Extract :
India’s demand for solar energy is creating a market opportunity
worth $20 billion annually, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said and added
that the government has decided to roll out a Production Linked Incentives
(PLI) scheme for solar modules as well.
Sharing his projections, he said, the demand for locally produced
panels will grow to 36 GW over the next three years.
“After the success of
Production Linked Incentives (PLI) in electronics manufacturing, we have
decided to give similar incentives to high efficiency solar modules.
In a short time, many of our plans have become a reality. There
has been an investment of over $64billion in the last six years,” he said.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Power
Minister : Focus on being net zero in solar cities /
Business Line / 27 Nov 2020
Extract :
Ø
Solar or
green cities will focus on being net
zero energy consumption by
generating more energy through green sources than they use
Ø
Each State
should declare at least one city (either a capital city or any renowned tourist
destination) as a solar or green city. Such cities would have green sources as the primary means of meeting
energy requirements. There will be rooftop solar,
solarized street lights, and waste to energy plants in these cities vehicles in
that city can run on electricity and it will be a model city
to showcase to the world,” Singh said at the third RE-Invest conference.
Related Suggestions sent to our Cabinet Ministers, in the past :
Ø Congratulations
, Shri R K Singhji …….[ 19 Nov 2020 ] – Hybrid Solar Parks
Ø Dear
Shri Goyalji : How about a Solar Cooker ?..[ 26 Aug 2020 ] – Solar
Cookers
Ø Reinvigorating
Rooftop Solar Power……[ 25 Nov 2020 ] – UV for Solar Panels
===================================================
With regards,
Hemen Parekh / hcp@recruitGuru.com / 20
Dec 2020