Feasibility of low carbon energy technologies for grid interactive power generation for India

Low Carbon Technologies (LCTs), have an important role to play in reducing emissions of carbon dioxide and to move towards a low carbon energy economy. Developing countries like India and China need to plan for an early development and deployment of LCTs for meeting emission targets and for sustenance of increasing energy demand. The migration of global energy systems to low carbon pathways therefore depends upon successful technical, environmental and cost effective deployments of LCTs for grid interactive power generation. Low Carbon Technologies, identified globally as means of energy production in a renewable manner, reducing carbon emissions and a mean to support carbon capture and storage are classified as - clean coal technologies, carbon capture and sequestration technologies and renewable energy technologies. This paper investigates and analyzes the techno-economic and environmental feasibility of low carbon energy technologies for grid interactive power generation for India in the future. Inclusion and Exclusion matrix indicate that nuclear energy, wind energy (onshore and offshore) and solar thermal energy has the potential to become main source of power for India in the years to come with decreasing reserves of coal and gas and favorable policy environment.