Pay heed to global warning

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has reported that earth's global average surface temperature has risen by 1 degree Celsius since 1880. Further rise of a degree  would result in extinction of many plants and animal species. Countries will face sudden climatic changes such as floods and droughts. 

Burning of fossil fuels to meet energy needs have caused emission of greenhouse gases, mainly carbon dioxide and methane, in the atmosphere. The concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which was only 280 parts per million in the pre-industrial period, has risen to over 400 ppm. At the present rate, it will reach 560 ppm in the middle of this century. 

These greenhouse gases form a protective shield around the earth's atmosphere, thus preventing the escape of heat from the earth's surface and making it warmer. Electricity generation due to the burning of coal contributes nearly 30 per cent of the greenhouse gases. For every unit of electricity produced, coal-based thermal plants emit around 0.881 kg of carbon dioxide. A 500 MW thermal plant emits 3.7 million tonne of carbon dioxide annually, equivalent to the axing of 161 million trees.

Realising this, 195 countries, including India, signed a historic pact at the United Nation Climate Conference at Paris in 2015, pledging rapid transition from fossil-based energy sources to renewable energy. The International Energy Agency outlook projects a growth of renewable energy supply from 1,700 giga watt in 2014 to 4,550 giga watt in 2040 worldwide. Many European countries have already taken a lead in meeting their energy needs from renewable sources.

India has set ambitious targets of increasing its present renewable capacity from 42,849 MW to 1,75,000 MW in  the next five years and 2,75,000 MW in the next 10. The share of installed capacity from non-fossil sources (including hydel) is expected to rise to 60 per cent in over the 10 years, up from 14 per cent at present. This shall prevent the release of 268 million tonne of carbon dioxide emissions annually in the next five years.    

India holds a vast potential for generating electricity from solar radiation since 58 per cent of the total land area in the country is favorably located in the solar belt  receiving annual radiation over 5 kwh/m²/day. Cheaper electricity in the range of Rs 2.50 per unit is being produced from bigger solar parks. Bhadla Solar Park in Jodhpur district of Rajasthan, having a capacity of 2,200 MW, will be the largest in the world. Rooftop solar panels shall contribute 40 per cent of solar expansion in the country.

However, balancing requirements due to uncertainty associated with renewable energy has to be met from other sources like hydel and flexible operation of thermal plants. 

The share of renewable energy in Punjab at present is around 5 per cent. Punjab has renewable capacity of 4,771 MW in solar and 277 MW in biomass. The possibility of any new coal-based unit in the state remains uncertain due to the shift in national policy towards renewable, coupled with the availability of cheaper renewable power. Punjab should explore the possibility of smaller biomass power plants at scattered locations for easy transportation of stubble to the plant sites. Punjab needs to holistically exploit the available alternative options for making cheaper and cleaner electricity available to its consumers for overall economic as well as industrial growth of the state.

— The writers are Patiala-based power sector experts