Led by coal, India's power sector emissions climbed to 1,404 million tonnes in 2023, mitigated to an extent by a significant growth in solar and wind energy
On the global chart of the world's top CO2 emitters, India's energy sector continues to enjoy a dubious distinction, ranking third, right behind the electricity generators in China and the US.
A recent report by the energy think tank Ember says that India's energy sector spewed 1,404 million tonnes of CO2, finishing 2023 on the podium, behind China's (5,491 million tonnes) and the USA's (1,570 million tonnes).
The cold comfort is that India's 2023 performance was, in fact, an improvement over the previous year despite a steep 5.4 percent increase in power demand to 99 terawatt-hours (TWh). The country managed this thanks to the growth of solar and wind power.
Without the substantial contribution of renewables, emissions from India’s power sector would have been 13 percent higher, according to the Ember Global Electricity Review 2024.
Worryingly, unless the current growth trajectory of electricity demand and coal generation changes significantly, emissions are unlikely to peak in the near future.
In terms of per capita emissions, India ranks fourth lowest within the G20, despite its significant reliance on coal. The report noted that although India’s total power sector emissions have risen, the emissions intensity—measured in grams of CO2 equivalent per kilowatt-hour (gCO2/kWh)—has declined a touch.
Specifically, the emissions intensity fell to 713 gCO2/kWh in 2023, down from 740 gCO2/kWh in 2000. This reduction is attributed to an increase in the share of clean electricity sources, even though the proportion of coal generation rose from 68 percent in 2000 to 75 percent in 2023.
The share of wind and solar power in India’s electricity mix increased markedly from 0.3 percent in 2000 to 9.9 percent in 2023.
However, other clean energy sources, such as hydro and nuclear, saw a decline in their contributions. Hydro's share fell from 13 percent to 7.6 percent, while nuclear power has remained steady between 2 and 3 percent.
India’s solar power generation has experienced substantial growth, soaring from 0.01 TWh in 2000 to 113 TWh in 2023, with much of this increase occurring in the past five years. In 2023, solar power generation was 17 times higher than in 2015 and has more than doubled since 2019.
This impressive growth allowed India to surpass Japan and become the third-largest solar power generator globally, contributing 5.9 percent to the world's solar power expansion.
In terms of overall electricity generation, India relied heavily on fossil fuels, which accounted for 78 percent (1,536 TWh) of its electricity production—surpassing the global average of 61 percent and the Asian average of 68 percent. Coal was the dominant source, providing 75 percent (1,480 TWh) of electricity, making India’s coal reliance the second highest in the G20, following South Africa. Gas and other fossil fuels contributed 2.6 percent (51 TWh) and 0.2 percent (4.0 TWh), respectively.
Clean generation constituted 22 percent of India's electricity mix, compared to the global average of 39 percent and the Asian average of 32 percent. The share of wind and solar reached a record high of 9.9 percent (196 TWh), though it remained 3.5 percentage points below the global average of 13.4 percent. Other Asian nations such as China, Japan, and Vietnam have higher shares of wind and solar power in their electricity mixes.