Sansad TV Perspective: Clean Energy Transition

In the series Sansad TV Perspective, we bring you an analysis of the discussion featured on the insightful programme ‘Perspective’ on Sansad TV, on various important topics affecting India and also the world. This analysis will help you immensely for the IAS exam, especially the mains exam, where a well-rounded understanding of topics is a prerequisite for writing answers that fetch good marks.

In this article, we feature the discussion on the topic: ‘Clean Energy Transition’.

Anchor: Teena Jha

Participants: 

1. Upendra Tripathy, Former Secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy
2. Chandra Bhushan, CEO, International Forum for Environment, Sustainability & Technology
3. Urmi Goswami, Senior Journalist

Context:  Global electricity review 2023 report by climate think tank Ember.

Introduction: 

• Ember’s fourth annual Global Electricity Review aims to provide the most transparent and up-to-date overview of changes in global electricity generation in 2022 and a realistic summary of how “on track” the electricity transition is for limiting global heating to 1.5 degrees. 
• The report analyses electricity data from 78 countries representing 93% of global electricity demand and includes estimated changes in the remaining generation. 

Highlights of the report:

• Electricity at its cleanest: The carbon intensity of global electricity generation fell to a record low of 436 gCO2/kWh in 2022 due to record growth in wind and solar, which reached a 12%  share in the global electricity mix, up from 10% in 2021. 
  • Together, all clean electricity sources (renewables and nuclear) reached 39% of global electricity, a new record high. 
  • Solar generation rose by 24%, making it the fastest-growing electricity source for 18 years in a row; wind generation grew by 17%. 
  • Over sixty countries now generate more than 10% of their electricity from wind and solar.
  • However, other sources of clean electricity dropped for the first time since 2011 due to a fall in nuclear output and fewer new nuclear and hydro plants coming online.

Image Source: Ember

• Limited coal increase, gas plateaus: Power sector emissions rose in 2022 (+1.3%), reaching an all-time high. 
  • Coal generation increased by 1.1%, in line with average growth in the last decade. 
  • Gas power generation fell marginally (-0.2%) in 2022–for the second time in three years– in the wake of high gas prices globally. 
  • Only 31 GW of new gas power plants were built in 2022, the lowest in 18 years. 
•  “Peak” power emissions: Wind and solar are slowing the rise in power sector emissions. If all the electricity from wind and solar instead came from fossil generation, power sector emissions would have been 20% higher in 2022. 

Clean electricity worldwide by 2040:

• Electricity generation is the single biggest contributor to global CO2 emissions, responsible for over a third of world’s total energy related emissions in 2021. 
• As of 2021, about three-quarters of power sector emissions were from coal, and almost a quarter from gas. 
• With proven solutions already available to tackle this challenge, decarbonising the power sector offers one of the most cost-effective routes to achieve net zero emissions globally by 2040.
• A Paris Agreement-compatible pathway for the global power sector was set out in detail by the International Energy Agency (IEA) in its ‘Net Zero Emissions’ (NZE) scenario published in May 2021 in the pioneering report Net Zero by 2050. 
• Across all models, wind and solar are set to lead shift towards NZE, offering low cost and quick-to-deliver clean capacity.
  • In many countries wind and solar are also economically attractive: lower cost than fossil fuels, and without the potential energy security risks of dependence on the global fossil fuel market. 

Impact of Russia-Ukraine war:

• After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, numerous governments reconsidered their strategies due to the sudden surge in fossil fuel prices and security apprehensions about depending on fossil fuel imports. 
• Additionally, the incident expedited the process of electrification, resulting in an increase in heat pumps, electric vehicles, and electrolysers. 
• This surge in electric-powered technology will lead to reduced emissions in various sectors and put additional pressure on the construction of clean energy at a faster pace.

Impact of economic slowdown:

• The global economic slowdown has had a significant impact on the shift towards electricity generation using clean energy. 
• It has created opportunities for accelerating the transition to clean energy. For example, the decline in fossil fuel prices has made it more cost-competitive for renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power. 
• Additionally, some governments have used the slowdown as an opportunity to launch stimulus packages that prioritise investments in clean energy infrastructure.
• Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of resilient energy systems that can withstand shocks and disruptions. 
• The use of clean energy sources such as wind, solar, and hydropower can help build more resilient energy systems by reducing dependence on imported fuels and providing local sources of energy.
• In the long term, the global slowdown is likely to accelerate the transition to clean energy as governments and companies increasingly recognize the economic, environmental, and social benefits of renewable energy sources.

Electricity trends 2023-India:

• India had the third largest power sector emissions in the world in 2022, behind China and the United States. 
• In 2022, India produced 1,162 million tonnes of CO2, accounting for 9.4% of the world’s total power sector emissions. India’s per capita emissions, however, are half the global average.
• India’s emissions are driven by high reliance on fossil fuels and a large population. The country has a low power demand per capita of 1.3 MWh, one third that of the global average.
• India’s electricity generation, however, is 45% more carbon intensive than the global average. 
• In 2022, India generated 77% of its electricity from fossil fuels. 
  • Coal had the largest share at 74% , followed by gas (2.7%), and other fossil (0.1%). 
  • The share of wind and solar reached a record high of 9% , although still three percentage points behind the global average. 
  • Hydro generated 9.5% of electricity, while nuclear and bioenergy accounted for 2.5% and 2%, respectively. 

Image Source: Ember

India’s progress towards net zero:

• In 2023, India surpassed China to become the world’s most populous nation. As India experiences rapid economic development and continues to grow, there will be an increasing demand for electricity as well.
• Meeting that with clean electricity would mean growing clean sources quickly and at a vast scale. Electricity provided 17% of India’s final energy consumption in 2021, which is expected to increase as the electrification of sectors like transport, heating and industry accelerates.
• To meet this rising demand, coal generation jumped three and a half times higher than it was in 2000. As a result, India’s power sector emissions increased 214% in comparison to 2000.
• However, due to effective solar and wind deployment in the last decade, India’s power sector emissions intensity fell slightly to 632 gCO2/ kWh, below the level in 2000 (648 gCO2/kWh).

Way Forward:

• To align with the IEA Net Zero Emissions scenario and reach a fully decarbonised power sector by 2040, India must reduce its power sector emissions by 65 million tonnes of CO2 on average every year. 
• Power sector emissions have been rising by 41 million tonnes of CO2 annually since 2015. It is expected that India’s emissions will continue to rise in the near-term, driven by rapid demand growth, but accelerating renewables deployment will eventually lead to emissions peaking and then declining. 
  • Urgent work is needed on ensuring wind and solar can be integrated into the grid: planning permissions, grid connections, grid flexibility and market design.
• At the COP26 held in Glasgow in 2021, India displayed its climate stewardship with its ‘Panchamrit’ commitments, targeting 500 gigawatts of non-fossil electricity capacity by 2030.
  • Achieving these targets require tackling much stiffer challenges at the national and sub-national levels. 
•  India has a significant potential to improve energy efficiency in various sectors, including buildings, industries, and agriculture. Energy-efficient buildings, appliances, and industrial processes can significantly reduce energy consumption and emissions.
• Carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies can capture carbon dioxide emissions from industries and store them underground, reducing emissions from industrial processes. India can invest in developing and deploying CCS technologies to decarbonize heavy industries like steel and cement.
• Achieving net-zero emissions requires the participation of all stakeholders, including the public. The government can encourage public participation by raising awareness about climate change and involving citizens in policy-making processes.

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