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Multi-Criteria Sustainability Assessment of Coal and Solar Power Generation in India


Affiliations
1 Divecha Centre for Climate Change, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru-560 012, India
 

About 70% of total electricity generation in India in 2015-16 came from thermal power plants that burn coal. Further, coal power plants still dominate the planned power capacity additions under the 12th and 13th five-year plans. The coal-based thermal power plants are considered to be least expensive and more reliable in the present electricity grid infrastructure. Here, we present a holistic overview of coal and solar photovoltaic (PV) power generation options. The former is dominant in today's power grid and the latter is expected to play a major role in future low-carbon grid. These power supply options are evaluated with respect to a set of seven sustainability criteria. This study examines the two power generation options based on technoeconomic and environmental indicators.
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  • Multi-Criteria Sustainability Assessment of Coal and Solar Power Generation in India

Abstract Views: 408  |  PDF Views: 129

Authors

H. Mitavachan
Divecha Centre for Climate Change, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru-560 012, India
J. Srinivasan
Divecha Centre for Climate Change, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru-560 012, India

Abstract


About 70% of total electricity generation in India in 2015-16 came from thermal power plants that burn coal. Further, coal power plants still dominate the planned power capacity additions under the 12th and 13th five-year plans. The coal-based thermal power plants are considered to be least expensive and more reliable in the present electricity grid infrastructure. Here, we present a holistic overview of coal and solar photovoltaic (PV) power generation options. The former is dominant in today's power grid and the latter is expected to play a major role in future low-carbon grid. These power supply options are evaluated with respect to a set of seven sustainability criteria. This study examines the two power generation options based on technoeconomic and environmental indicators.

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv113%2Fi06%2F1034-1038