Now Reading: Coal stocks for 62 days, renewables hit record in July
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Coal stocks for 62 days, renewables hit record in July
India has enough coal to meet about 62 days of power-sector demand, the Union Coal Ministry said on August 6. Total stock, including at pitheads and in transit, stands at 148 MT.…
The Story in Brief
India has enough coal to meet about 62 days of power-sector demand, the Union Coal Ministry said on August 6. Total stock, including at pitheads and in transit, stands at 148 MT. Coal production in July rose 7.51% year-on-year to 69.75 MT, while dispatches grew 17.34%.
Separately, renewable power generation hit a record high in July, jumping 30% from a year ago to 36.25 billion kWh, government data showed. Coal's share in the power mix fell to 65.7% in July from 69% in June, its lowest in a year. Hydropower generation fell for a second straight month due to El Nino, which analysts say could create a power-generation gap of nearly 18 billion kWh, driving more coal use.
The Indian Opinion
Coal and renewable naysayers both have their pet narratives: that coal is indispensable, or that renewables are already winning. The data shows both are partial truths. Coal output and dispatches grew year-on-year even as renewable share rose to a record. The real story is dual stress: falling hydro and rising peak demand push coal up, while daytime solar keeps breaking records. The test to watch is nighttime power, if storage and wind cannot fill the gap, coal will stay dominant for years. What is the government's plan for pumped hydro and battery storage?
Sources (2): thehindu.com, thehindu.com (2)
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
