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India’s potential for integrating solar and on- and offshore wind power into its energy system

Author

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  • Tianguang Lu

    (Shandong University
    Harvard University)

  • Peter Sherman

    (Harvard University)

  • Xinyu Chen

    (Huazhong University of Science and Technology)

  • Shi Chen

    (Tsinghua University)

  • Xi Lu

    (Tsinghua University)

  • Michael McElroy

    (Harvard University
    Harvard University)

Abstract

This paper considers options for a future Indian power economy in which renewables, wind and solar, could meet 80% of anticipated 2040 power demand supplanting the country’s current reliance on coal. Using a cost optimization model, here we show that renewables could provide a source of power cheaper or at least competitive with what could be supplied using fossil-based alternatives. The ancillary advantage would be a significant reduction in India’s future power sector related emissions of CO2. Using a model in which prices for wind turbines and solar PV systems are assumed to continue their current decreasing trend, we conclude that an investment in renewables at a level consistent with meeting 80% of projected 2040 power demand could result in a reduction of 85% in emissions of CO2 relative to what might be expected if the power sector were to continue its current coal dominated trajectory.

Suggested Citation

  • Tianguang Lu & Peter Sherman & Xinyu Chen & Shi Chen & Xi Lu & Michael McElroy, 2020. "India’s potential for integrating solar and on- and offshore wind power into its energy system," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-10, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:11:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-020-18318-7
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-18318-7
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    Cited by:

    1. Ordonez, Jose Antonio & Jakob, Michael & Steckel, Jan Christoph & Ward, Hauke, 2023. "India's just energy transition: Political economy challenges across states and regions," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 179(C).
    2. Ashish Gulagi & Manish Ram & Dmitrii Bogdanov & Sandeep Sarin & Theophilus Nii Odai Mensah & Christian Breyer, 2022. "The role of renewables for rapid transitioning of the power sector across states in India," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-19, December.
    3. Zhu, Yaqian & Chen, Zhengjie & Zhang, Hongmei & Ma, Wenhui & Wu, Jijun, 2022. "The effect of Ni on Fe and Al impurities by MIVM model for the silicon production," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 254(PC).
    4. Oleg Lugovoy & Varun Jyothiprakash & Sourish Chatterjee & Samridh Sharma & Arijit Mukherjee & Abhishek Das & Shreya Some & Disha L. Dinesha & Nandini Das & Parthaa Bosu & Shyamasree Dasgupta & Lavanya, 2021. "Towards a Zero-Carbon Electricity System for India in 2050: IDEEA Model-Based Scenarios Integrating Wind and Solar Complementarity and Geospatial Endowments," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-57, October.
    5. Srivastav, Sugandha & Singh, Tanmay, 2023. "Greening our Laws: Revising Land Acquisition Law for Coal Mining in India," INET Oxford Working Papers 2023-07, Institute for New Economic Thinking at the Oxford Martin School, University of Oxford.
    6. Srivastav, Sugandha & Singh, Tanmay, 2022. "Greening our Laws: Revising Land Acquisition Law for Coal Mining in India," INET Oxford Working Papers 2022-09, Institute for New Economic Thinking at the Oxford Martin School, University of Oxford.
    7. Debanjan, Mukherjee & Karuna, Kalita, 2022. "An Overview of Renewable Energy Scenario in India and its Impact on Grid Inertia and Frequency Response," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 168(C).
    8. Ahmad, Tanveer & Madonski, Rafal & Zhang, Dongdong & Huang, Chao & Mujeeb, Asad, 2022. "Data-driven probabilistic machine learning in sustainable smart energy/smart energy systems: Key developments, challenges, and future research opportunities in the context of smart grid paradigm," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).
    9. Jain, Sourabh, 2022. "Exploring structures of power purchase agreements towards supplying 24x7 variable renewable electricity," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 244(PA).
    10. Fan, Jing-Li & Huang, Xi & Shi, Jie & Li, Kai & Cai, Jingwen & Zhang, Xian, 2023. "Complementary potential of wind-solar-hydro power in Chinese provinces: Based on a high temporal resolution multi-objective optimization model," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 184(C).
    11. Graça Gomes, João & Jiang, Juan & Chong, Cheng Tung & Telhada, João & Zhang, Xu & Sammarchi, Sergio & Wang, Shuyang & Lin, Yu & Li, Jialong, 2023. "Hybrid solar PV-wind-battery system bidding optimisation: A case study for the Iberian and Italian liberalised electricity markets," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 263(PD).
    12. Guangsheng Pan & Qinran Hu & Wei Gu & Shixing Ding & Haifeng Qiu & Yuping Lu, 2021. "Assessment of plum rain’s impact on power system emissions in Yangtze-Huaihe River basin of China," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-10, December.
    13. Shu, Tony & Papageorgiou, Dimitri J. & Harper, Michael R. & Rajagopalan, Srinivasan & Rudnick, Iván & Botterud, Audun, 2023. "From coal to variable renewables: Impact of flexible electric vehicle charging on the future Indian electricity sector," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 269(C).
    14. Zhenyu Zhuo & Ershun Du & Ning Zhang & Chris P. Nielsen & Xi Lu & Jinyu Xiao & Jiawei Wu & Chongqing Kang, 2022. "Cost increase in the electricity supply to achieve carbon neutrality in China," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-13, December.

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