Coal is set to remain India’s top energy source for the next three decades.
However its share of energy demand will gradually fall as the country pushes renewable power generation.
These are two of the findings in a government report, seen by sources.
India is the world’s third-largest coal producer and the third-biggest greenhouse gas emitter.
It depends on coal for about three-fifths of its energy needs and aims to double its output to 1.5 billion tonnes by 2020.
By 2047, however, coal’s share of India’s energy mix would shrink to 42-48 percent, from about 58 percent in 2015, the report, which has yet to be made public, showed.
The report said: “India would like to use its abundant coal reserves as it provides a cheap source of energy and ensures energy security as well.”
It was written by Indian think tank NITI Aayog, which advises the government on policy issues and is chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and the Institute for Energy Economics Japan (IEEJ).
