Amid the current growing scenario, where the nation is overcoming high power generation cuts, it is much important to know about the essential usage of sustainable features of the Power Sector. In addition to the Public and Private Placement of Power Generation Sector, the recent focus shift is lying upon the major factor that depends upon the steps required to fulfill the demands of power generation.
As per the government data, the electricity generation target (Including RE) for the year 2023-24 has been fixed as 1750 Billion Units (BU), which is around 7.2% over an actual generation of 1624.158 BU for the previous year (2022-23). The generation during 2022-23 was 1624.158 BU as compared to 1491.859 BU generated during 2021-22, representing a growth of about 8.87%.
In terms of different kinds of resources that are usually carved out in the prospect of the Power Sector is the phasing out of Coal coal-fired power Stations along with gas-fired power sector that are too favorable in fact for radiating the greenhouse gas emissions. Yet, unintentionally, it is an important part of the energy transformation, which is required to be limited as per the climate concern.
Major renewable sources like solar and wind power are keen to be required, with the need for electricity increasing strongly amid further electrification of transport, homes and industry.
Among major power sector-producing unit firms, Coal-fired power stations are the largest single contributor to climate change, releasing approximately 12 billion tonnes of CO2 annually, which is about one-fifth of global greenhouse gas emissions. India has around 5 major coal-producing companies at the domestic level. Coal India especially accounts for around 82% of total coal production in India. The Public Sector unit produced around 554.14 MT of raw coal in 2016-17, and the estimated revenue was around Rs 95,435 crore for the same financial year.
Among the top 20 firms, CIL stood at the 8th position, responsible for one-third of all carbon emissions. Meanwhile, in terms of green initiatives, Coal India is implementing eight pumped storage projects with the help of NHPC Ltd, a state-run Hydropower unit and will convert de-coaled mines.
Central Public-Sector Undertaking Firm, NLC India Ltd, on average, annually produces about 30 million tonnes of lignite from opencast mines at Neyveli in the state of Tamil Nadu in southern India and in the Bikaner district of Rajasthan state.
The lignite is used at pithead thermal power stations of 3640 MW installed capacity to produce electricity, and the joint venture has a 1000 MW thermal power station using coal.
The PSU Firm has also been diversified into renewable energy production and installed a 1404 MW solar power plant to produce electricity from photovoltaic (PV) cells and 51 MW of electricity from windmills.
