The first quarter of 2024 has seen the generation of coal-fired power and emissions scale new, alarming highs in India amidst a sweeping heatwave and a decline in hydropower generation
Far from tapering, India's consumption of fossil fuel-fired energy and resulting emissions hit an all-time high in the first quarter of 2024, driven by a heatwave and reduced hydropower generation. Coal-fired power, which is still 70 percent of India's energy output, shot up by
India, which still relies on coal for over 70 percent of its electricity output, saw its coal-fired power generation jump by 9.6 percent year-over-year to 338 terawatt hours (TWh) in the first quarter of 2024. Alongside, total power sector emissions spiralled by 316 MMT of CO2 and other toxic gases.
The year started with a surge in coal-fired units amid a prolonged heatwave and above-normal temperatures, which significantly increased electricity consumption. This was further fueled by the continued rise in power demand, a clear indicator of the country's expanding economic growth. The demand for thermal power heightened further because of the fall in hydropower output by 11 percent in March.
Grid Controller of India data indicates that the share of coal in India's power generation increased to 77 percent during the first week of April, marking a rise of roughly 2 percentage points when compared to the same period in 2023.