India’s record renewable generation in July cuts coal’s share in power mix to 1-year low

NEW DELHI: The share of coal in India’s power-generation mix dropped to its lowest in a year in July as renewable-power generation surged to a record high, government data showed.

Renewable power jumped to 20percent of India’s mix, the data showed. It was 36.25 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) in July, up 30percent from the same month last year.

Coal-power generation fell to 65.7percent in July from 69percent in June, according to Reuters calculations of daily data from the regulator, Grid-India.

The rise in India’s clean-energy generation comes as solar and wind output exceeded 100 gigawatts for the first time and accounted for a record 42.8percent of India’s electricity supply on July 13, government data showed.

Most of the peak power demand is happening during daytime where there is increased contribution from solar, said Manoj Kumar, an analyst with Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, pointing to a rise in renewable share in the country’s power generation. Coal-fired power generation rose about 12.8percent year-on-year to 119.40 billion kWh in July, the data showed.

Analysts attributed the rise in coal-power generation to a fall in hydropower generation and due to a strong El Nino pattern, where searing heat is driving demand for cooling during the nighttime. Hydropower generation fell for a second straight month to 22.1percent on lower rainfall due to El Nino, which significantly shifts rainfall patterns and lifts above-normal temperatures.

Lower hydro generation due to El Nino and increased demand for power could lead to a power-generation gap of nearly 18 billion kWh and will drive a surge in coal-fired power in India, CREA said. India’s electricity generation in July rose 10.4percent from a year earlier to 181.79 billion kWh, data showed.