The total capacity of both projects will be 7 GW, which is more than double of the effective capacity of the solar panels in the territory of Uttar Pradesh (2.6 GW). In general, the total capacity of photovoltaic generation in the country as of the end of the last year reached 63.1 GW, and their share in the national power generation mix – 5.1%. Solar generators are the second most common renewable energy source in India: as for their share in the total national energy mix, they are behind only hydropower plants (9.4%), beat the wind power plants (3.8%) and the bio-mass plants (2.2%).
The interest of India towards RES development is to a great extent connected with the need to decrease the carbon footprint in power generation. According to Ember research centre, in 2022 in India the GHG emissions constituted 633 grams of CO2 equivalent per 1 KW*h of total energy generation, while as in neighbouring China the metric was 534 grams of CO-2 equivalent, and in world – 438 grams of CO-2 equivalent. Exceeding the average global metric is associated with a big share of coal-fired CHPP (they accounted for 74.3% of total generation last year).
The de-regulation of the nuclear industry over the coming years will contribute to decreasing the adverse environmental impact of the Indian power generation. The Governmental Commission set up by Niti Aayo think tank (headed by Narendra Modi, the Prime-Minister of India), last summer recommended to lift the ban for foreign investment into the nuclear energy and to enhance the role of private companies in the industry.
In accordance with the effective Indian law, private companies and foreign investors may participate in nuclear projects only as suppliers of technology and equipment, but not as shareholders. Removal of these restrictions will urge forward the construction of new nuclear power plants (NPPs). In total, there are 19 reactors operating in India, of which 10 were connected to the grid before 2000 (inclusive), and another 5 – before 2010.
At the same time, India does not want to refuse from coal-fired generation either. According to Global Energy Monitor, by 2023, India accounted for 15% of the overall global capacity of coal-fired CHPP under construction (31.6 GW out of 204.2 GW).