Growing Coal Consumption in India #coal #energy

Growing Coal Consumption in India

Rajiv Goyal

India’s consumption of coal has reached to almost 1 Bn Ton in FY 18-19. Import of coal increased to 235.3 Mn Ton from 208.27 Mn Ton in previous year. Overall consumption of coal is increased by 9% whereas import has grown by 12%.

Coal for power generation is increased by 6.6% to 760.7 MnTon. It is to be noted that shortfall remained 24 Mn Ton in the year. Coal India produced 607 Mn Ton and target is to mine 660 MnTon in FY 19-20, which seems to be difficult.

Due to ban on pet-coke which is highly polluted, demand for coal by cement industry rose by 70% to 37.3 Mn Ton and 65% by sponge iron industry 41.3MnTon

RE power generation growth will help in reducing dependence upon coal , to save environment. However , going by increasing power demand by 6-7% every year , forecasted at same rate for next 10 years, specially if schemes of Electric Vehicles and Cooking on Electricity are implemented, demand for coal is expected to also grow by 3-4% inspite of growing solar & wind energy @15-20% per annum