India will not apologise about coal use: Piyush Goyal

PARIS: As it continued with its outreach to encourage countries to join the international solar alliance, India has said that it will not be apologetic about its coal consumption. In the run up to the Paris meet, there has been increased international attention on India’s continued plans for expanded use of coal. Recently, US Secretary of State John Kerry had raised issue with India’s continued use of coal for generating electricity, In Paris for the launch of the international solar alliance, energy and coal minister Piyush Goyal said that no one has asked India for a push back on coal.

“Developed countries also understand that India needs a base load for its ambitious power plans. If we do not have a base load, we don’t even have renewable energy. We don’t have gas so base load has to be coal to provide 24/7 power,” the minister said.

Goyal said that as a “conscious citizen” of the world, India “will not shirk its responsibility towards a cleaner environment”.