The story so far: The world’s quest to decarbonise itself is guided, among other things, by the U.N. Sustainable Development Goal 7: “to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all”. Since the world still depends on fossil fuels for 82% of its energy supply, decarbonising the power sector is critical; the share of electricity in final energy consumption will also increase by 80-150% by 2050. The recent uptick in coal consumption in Europe, despite the increase in solar and wind power, suggests that reliable, 24/7 low-carbon electricity resources are critical to ensure the deep decarbonisation of power generation, along with grid stability and energy security. Small modular reactors – a type of nuclear reactor – can be helpful to India in this regard.
Challenges of decarbonisation
The transition from coal-fired power generation to clean energy sources poses major challenges for all countries, and there is a widespread consensus among policymakers in several countries that solar and wind energy alone will not suffice to provide reliable and affordable energy for everyone.
