India has pushed hard for solar. But as its billions demand more power, coal always gets the call

Associated Press

BENGALURU, India (AP) — India has been significantly increasing its renewable energy capacity in recent years, but when demand for electricity surges, it still goes back to its most trusted source of power. That’s coal. For the first half of this year, the world’s most populous nation has been responding to major energy demand from its growing population and greater cooling needs by relying on its coal-fired plants. India also plans to add more coal plants. Experts say India needs to install at least 50 to 60 gigawatts of clean power each year and also build up battery storage. Even so, they don’t expect India to lead the way in transitioning away from a fossil fuel that is a major contributor to climate change.