India to cut coal usage if West backs it with technology, fund

NEW DELHI: India has said that it is open to reducing its use of coal provided the developed countries are willing to ensure the flow of adequate finances and technology to support the transition to renewable energy. “We look forward to an agreement that enables financial support from the countries that have developed on the backs of cheap energy to those who have to meet their energy demands with more expensive but low carbon or zero carbon energy,” said senior Indian negotiator Ajay Mathur.

The senior negotiator stressed that the development of solar and wind energy remains India’s first commitment, and that coal will serve as a bridging fuel in the transition to a low-emission economy. “We have made it very clear that solar and wind are our first commitment. Hydro, nuclear, all of these non-carbon sources, are what we will develop to the largest extent that we can. What cannot be met by these will be met by coal,” Mathur said. India has come under attack from a section of countries and civil society organisations for its continued use of coal.

Responding to questions on India’s energy choices, US special envoy for climate change Todd Stern said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made impressive pledges in renewable energy, wind and solar. The total that he has pledged 175 Gw by 2022, is an enormous pledge. We provide assistance to India, we invest in India. Many other countries do. We certainly want to work with Indian partners to encourage and in exactly what they are trying to do and do our best to help them realise that”.

These are enormous pledges, which will provide momentum to adopting cleaner technologies in India. By 2030, India will have enhanced its renewable energy, primarily solar and wind, capacity by more than seven times. Mathur said developing affordable balancing power in the next ten years is of huge importance if solar and wind energy has to take off in very large percentage. “There is one more challenge.

That is, as we put in more and more solar and wind into the grid, what happens when the sun stops shining and winds stop blowing? So we need balancing power, which can come on instantly and which is affordable. This is a technology issue. So developing affordable balancing power in the next ten years is of huge importance if solar and wind has to take off in very large percentage,” he said.