New Delhi, Mar 23 (KNN) India is planning to substantially slash its share of coal based thermal power generation from the current 52 percent to 32 percent by the turn of the decade, the Ministry of Power told the Parliament.  

India has been increasing its renewable power production in the last few years to aid its efforts in the global war on climate change and reducing its dependence on coal based power plants would help its electric mobility thrust as well. 

With the increased large-scale integration of renewable power in the electricity sector, the costs of renewable power have reduced considerably and the lowest discovered tariff for solar power has been Rs 1.99 per unit which is less than the energy charge of many coal-based power plants, the Ministry of Power said in a press release.

Retail consumer tariffs are determined by the respective State Regulators keeping in view several costs including that of power.

The government has also issued a scheme of bundling renewable power with thermal and hydro projects which it says would reduce the overall cost of power for consumers.

It is also extending grant assistance for construction of Green Energy Corridors, and for Solarization of agriculture feeders/pump sets under Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (KUSUM) scheme .

The efforts to clean up the grid coincides with the Ministry of Power's "Go Electric" campaign that was launched on February 19. 

With no tailpipe emissions of their own and electricity from the grid charging the batteries on board, as the fuel, rapid addition of renewable energy is expected to reduce thermal generation in overall electricity mix, further minimizing the carbon emission intensity in future. (KNN Bureau)