Emission Mitigation and Energy Security Trade-Off: Role of Natural Gas in the Indian Power Sector

India’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) aim to increase the share of non-fossil fuel, especially renewables, in power generation. But at the same time, it mentions that coal is likely to dominate the power generation in the short and medium term to meet the increase in demand and support t...

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Main Authors: Nandini Das, Shyamasree Dasgupta, Joyashree Roy, Oluf Langhelle, Mohsen Assadi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-06-01
Series:Energies
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/13/3787
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author Nandini Das
Shyamasree Dasgupta
Joyashree Roy
Oluf Langhelle
Mohsen Assadi
author_facet Nandini Das
Shyamasree Dasgupta
Joyashree Roy
Oluf Langhelle
Mohsen Assadi
author_sort Nandini Das
collection DOAJ
description India’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) aim to increase the share of non-fossil fuel, especially renewables, in power generation. But at the same time, it mentions that coal is likely to dominate the power generation in the short and medium term to meet the increase in demand and support the intermittency of renewable energy-based power generation. Thus, additional efforts to transform the thermal power generation to a more efficient and less emitting one in the near term by increasing the use of natural gas (a fossil fuel with a lower emission factor than coal) may be planned towards achieving India’s additional mitigation commitments. The paper presents the implications of a proposed increase in the share of natural gas in thermal power generation of India by looking into the trade-off between emission mitigation and energy security. Along with a Reference Scenario, three alternative emission scenarios are proposed to understand the likely impacts of increased penetration of natural gas in power generation on India’s projected emission profile up to 2050. Results suggest that higher mitigation potential can be achieved through fuel-switch in thermal generation and technological up-gradation to enhance energy use efficiency. The energy security due to the increased share of natural gas imports can be dealt with by diversifying import sources. Shifts can achieve this in the emphasis on long-term contracts.
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spelling doaj.art-3af2b6ba834e4fad88f23b6c9b9b8f3d2023-11-22T01:29:33ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732021-06-011413378710.3390/en14133787Emission Mitigation and Energy Security Trade-Off: Role of Natural Gas in the Indian Power SectorNandini Das0Shyamasree Dasgupta1Joyashree Roy2Oluf Langhelle3Mohsen Assadi4Global Change Programme Jadavpur University, Kolkata 700032, IndiaSchool of Humanities and Social Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology, Mandi 175005, IndiaDepartment of Energy, Environment, and Climate, School of Environment, Resources and Development, Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok 12120, ThailandDepartment of Media and Social Sciences, University of Stavanger, 4021 Stavanger, NorwayDepartment of Energy and Petroleum Engineering, University of Stavanger, 4021 Stavanger, NorwayIndia’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) aim to increase the share of non-fossil fuel, especially renewables, in power generation. But at the same time, it mentions that coal is likely to dominate the power generation in the short and medium term to meet the increase in demand and support the intermittency of renewable energy-based power generation. Thus, additional efforts to transform the thermal power generation to a more efficient and less emitting one in the near term by increasing the use of natural gas (a fossil fuel with a lower emission factor than coal) may be planned towards achieving India’s additional mitigation commitments. The paper presents the implications of a proposed increase in the share of natural gas in thermal power generation of India by looking into the trade-off between emission mitigation and energy security. Along with a Reference Scenario, three alternative emission scenarios are proposed to understand the likely impacts of increased penetration of natural gas in power generation on India’s projected emission profile up to 2050. Results suggest that higher mitigation potential can be achieved through fuel-switch in thermal generation and technological up-gradation to enhance energy use efficiency. The energy security due to the increased share of natural gas imports can be dealt with by diversifying import sources. Shifts can achieve this in the emphasis on long-term contracts.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/13/3787natural gascoalenergy transitionsustainabilityenergy securityIndia
spellingShingle Nandini Das
Shyamasree Dasgupta
Joyashree Roy
Oluf Langhelle
Mohsen Assadi
Emission Mitigation and Energy Security Trade-Off: Role of Natural Gas in the Indian Power Sector
Energies
natural gas
coal
energy transition
sustainability
energy security
India
title Emission Mitigation and Energy Security Trade-Off: Role of Natural Gas in the Indian Power Sector
title_full Emission Mitigation and Energy Security Trade-Off: Role of Natural Gas in the Indian Power Sector
title_fullStr Emission Mitigation and Energy Security Trade-Off: Role of Natural Gas in the Indian Power Sector
title_full_unstemmed Emission Mitigation and Energy Security Trade-Off: Role of Natural Gas in the Indian Power Sector
title_short Emission Mitigation and Energy Security Trade-Off: Role of Natural Gas in the Indian Power Sector
title_sort emission mitigation and energy security trade off role of natural gas in the indian power sector
topic natural gas
coal
energy transition
sustainability
energy security
India
url https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/13/3787
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