Thermal power plants are the predominant source of electricity generation in India. India heavily relies on coal-based power generation, with a smaller yet significant portion coming from natural gas. Given that thermal power plants contribute significantly to CO2 emissions, incorporating low-carbon processes and technologies in these plants can substantially impact India's decarbonization efforts.

 

Current Scenario

India's thermal power capacity stands at approximately 273.3 GW as of 2023, contributing around 61% to the total electricity generation. This figure highlights the critical role of thermal power in India's energy landscape and the significant potential for decarbonization.

Low Carbon Technologies for Thermal Power

• Shift from Coal to Natural Gas: Transitioning from coal to natural gas can reduce CO2 emissions by approximately 50% per kWh generated. While coal remains dominant, India is exploring natural gas as a cleaner alternative, with infrastructure developments like the Urja Ganga gas pipeline project aiming to increase natural gas availability.

Supercritical and Ultra-Supercritical Technology 

• Moving from conventional coal power plants to supercritical and ultra-supercritical technology enhances efficiency.

• Case Study: The NTPC Dadri power plant has adopted supercritical technology, reducing CO2 emissions by about 20% compared to conventional plants. As of 2020, about 46 GW of India's coal-based power plants utilize supercritical technology, with plans to increase this to 100 GW by 2025.

Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) Technology 

• IGCC technology converts coal into syngas, which is then used to generate electricity, significantly improving efficiency and reducing emissions.

Hybrid Systems with Clean Power Sources 

• Integrating biomass or solar CSP with coal power plants to create hybrid systems can lower overall emissions.

• Example: The NTPC Dadri plant also incorporates biomass co-firing, utilizing agricultural residue to reduce coal usage and emissions.

Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS)

• Capturing CO2 emissions from thermal power plants and utilizing or storing them can drastically cut down the amount of CO2 released into the atmosphere.

• Example: The Talcher Fertilizer plant is exploring CCUS technology to capture CO2 for urea production, demonstrating industrial symbiosis.

Key Technology

Digital Technologies for Efficiency 

• Utilizing AI and IoT for real-time monitoring and optimization of plant operations can significantly enhance efficiency and reduce emissions.
• Example: BHEL has implemented a digital twin technology at its power plants, which helps in predictive maintenance and operational optimization, leading to a 15% reduction in emissions.

Cooling Tower Efficiency

• Innovations in cooling tower technology can reduce water usage and improve the thermal efficiency of power plants.
• Enhanced cooling tower technology can reduce water consumption by 30%, saving about 500 million cubic meters of water annually by 2030.

Smart Grid and Grid Analytics

• Implementing smart grids and advanced analytics can optimize energy distribution, reduce losses, and integrate renewable energy sources more effectively.
• Smart grid implementation is expected to reduce transmission and distribution losses by 15%, saving around 25 million tonnes of CO2 annually by 2030.

Waste Heat Recovery

• Utilizing waste heat from power plants for additional electricity generation or industrial processes can improve overall efficiency.
• Example: The Korba Thermal Power Station has implemented waste heat recovery systems, improving overall plant efficiency by 10%.