High temperature: Coal-fired electricity generation, power sector emissions hit record high in India

NEW DELHI: A recent report claimed that India's coal-fired electricity generation and power sector emissions hit record highs during the first quarter as above-average temperatures spurred higher air conditioner use and economic expansion drove greater overall power consumption. The report comes at a time of excessive electricity consumption due to rising temperatures. Coal-fired electricity output hit 338 terawatt hours during the first quarter of 2024, according to think tank Ember, which marked a 9.6% rise from the same quarter in 2023. Total power sector emissions climbed by the same degree to a record 316 million metric tons of carbon dioxide and equivalent gases.

The country's power sector discharged a record 108 million tons of CO2 in March alone, and has emitted more than 100 million tons of CO2 each month so far in 2024, a record stretch for the country's power suppliers.

India is 70% dependent on coal for power generation. An extended heat wave throughout much of the country has likely resulted in even higher coal-fired generation since March, as power firms attempt to avert outages during the ongoing general election. During the summer, hydropower generation declined sharply in the country. So in April, India raised its coal share in power generation to 77 percent. This is about 2 percentage points higher than the same period in 2023.