Decarbonization in China
Faculty Research Director
Joshua Busby
After China, India has the world’s second largest coal fleet. Coal burning power plants are a major source of emissions of greenhouse gases and air pollutants. India’s demand for electricity is anticipated to surge in the coming decades. India’s coal fleet is younger than other countries, though some are reaching the scheduled age of retirement after 25 years. Up until a post-COVID surge in energy demand, many were operating below capacity. As generation of renewable energy increased, several studies assessed the potential for coal plant retirements and generated lists of possible plant retirements based on different criteria. With rising energy demand, that conversation has cooled, with India now prioritizing energy security. With a long-term commitment to net zero emissions of greenhouse gases and concerns about stranded assets, debates about whether to retire existing coal plants will likely resume. Missing from previous studies is a political economy lens of factors that might slow down the transition. This project examines plants that were identified by multiple lists for retirement and reviews whether they possessed one or more political economy factors that might impede retirement, including low state enthusiasm for solar, high district-level employment in the coal sector, and persistent state- level power deficits.