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Energy crossroads and prioritization of energy choices: the case of India
Author(s) -
Rej Soumen,
Nag Barnali
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
opec energy review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1753-0237
pISSN - 1753-0229
DOI - 10.1111/opec.12201
Subject(s) - environmental economics , renewable energy , electricity generation , wind power , portfolio , energy transition , multiple criteria decision analysis , natural resource economics , topsis , coal , energy policy , energy supply , electricity , business , economics , environmental science , environmental resource management , energy (signal processing) , power (physics) , engineering , operations research , waste management , finance , medicine , statistics , physics , alternative medicine , mathematics , pathology , quantum mechanics , electrical engineering , panacea (medicine)
Abstract For countries like India, energy policy challenge lies in planning for a national energy portfolio which ensures uninterrupted supply of affordable electricity while reducing carbon emissions with the least socio‐economic impediments like land acquisition. This study illustrates prioritization of seven major energy alternatives for power generation on the basis of their direct and dynamic land requirements, generation cost, carbon emission and reliability of generation. Detailed data of typical power plants in India are used, and the energy sources are then ranked using the MCDM TOPSIS technique in five different scenarios of policy focus. Results indicate that (i) India needs to focus more on gas‐based generation to phase out coal and gradually transition to a cleaner energy path and (ii) among renewables, solar is a clearer choice over wind in terms of both cost and land requirement per tonne of carbon abatement.