New Delhi: One of the very few good news in the lockdown is lower pollution levels around the world. India’s Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emissions have also fallen for the first time in four decades.
It is not only the lockdown but also the increased use of renewables that have helped in this, reports Carbon Brief, an environment website. While CO2 levels have fallen by 15 per cent in March, it is estimated to have reduced by 30 per cent in April due to low electricity demand and shut down of industries.
Incidentally, the drop in power demand was completely being produced by coal-fired plants, which explains the dramatic drop in CO2 levels.
While thermal power generation capacity had increased this year, there has been a 2 per cent drop in coal deliveries due to the crisis.
Globally, coal consumption has reduced by 8 per cent in Q1 of 2020 according to International Energy Agency (IEA).
In contrast, solar and wind power have risen slightly.
Experts, however, warn that the low demand for fossil fuels will bounce back and emissions too will soar back to the previous levels. Plus, there is concern as countries like United States of America have started to relax environmental regulations to restart the economy.
India, which has just announced a Rs 20 lakh crore economic package, is expected to boost its renewables portfolio, which is fairly low priced at as low as Rs 2.55 per kilowatt hour. Energy generated from coal, on the other hand, is priced at around Rs 3.38 per kilowatt hour.
