GEM Report: Coal Mines in India Under-Utilised
Source: Hindu
GS II: Policies and Developmental Studies
What is discussed under GEM Report: Coal Mines in India Under-Utilised?
- Key Highlights of the GEM Report
- Concerns regarding the construction of coal mines
- Increasing risk of displacement
Why in News?
According to Global Energy Monitor (GEM), a corporation that measures fuel-source utilisation globally, India’s coal mines use barely two-thirds of their capacity on average, with some huge ones using below 1%.
Key Highlights of the GEM Report
- 99 of India’s coal mining projects, which are scheduled to generate 427 MTPA (million tonnes per year), are unnecessary, and building new coal mines will not help to alleviate short-term supply constraints.
- At least twice in 2021, India had significant coal crises, with coal stockpiles at more than 100 of 285 thermal power reactors falling below the crucial point of 25% of the necessary stock.
- It decreased below 10% in over 50 plants.
- Several states, including Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Uttarakhand, and Madhya Pradesh, had power outages as a result.
Concerns regarding the construction of coal mines
- India’s proposed new coal mining capacity of 427 MTPA is second only to China’s 596 MTPA.
- To relocate at least 165 villages and harm 87,630 families, about half of whom reside in indigenous tribes.
- There are 22,686 ha of agricultural land and 19,297 ha of forest.
- The new coal plants will worsen water scarcity by boosting demand by 1,68,041 kilolitres per day.
- 159 MTPA (37%) of the new capacity will be situated in high-risk water zones, while 230 MTPA (54%) is planned for extreme water risk zones.
Increasing risk of displacement
- Following India’s Prime Minister’s announcement of a net zero aim for 2070, these new mines will:
- Increase the possibility of stranded assets in India.
- Delay the transition to a sustainable energy future.
- Have permanent effects on rural populations and the environment in India.
- The sector has approximately 100 million tonnes of idle capacity at active mine sites in several important mining regions, such as Jharkhand and Odisha, accounting for more than 40% of underutilised mine capacity.
- As a result, the new mines will not address the industry’s long-standing problems.
- The irony of this expansion is that by constructing additional mines now, the sector’s shortcomings and inefficiencies may be exacerbated tomorrow, especially if competition from renewables and land use issues develop.
Global Energy Monitor (GEM)
- Global Energy Monitor (GEM) is a non-governmental organisation located in San Francisco that tracks fossil fuel and renewable energy projects across the world.
- GEM disseminates renewable energy information, and its statistics and publications on energy trends are frequently quoted by governments, the media, and academic scholars.
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