India to cut coal dependence

India is ready to cut coal dependence if provided financial, clean-tech support Mathur also directed a hint towards developed nations and made clear that India also looks at an agreement in Paris which "enables" financial support from those nations who have developed on the "backs of cheap energy"

India is ready to reduce its reliance on coal further if the developed countries agree to help it shift to cleaner energy sources with adequate finances and technology, a top negotiator has said as attempts intensified to find a long-term solution to climate change by phasing out carbon emissions.

Amid reports that it would be singled out over its plans to expand coal usage to meet its energy demands, India made it clear that development of solar and wind energy will remain its first commitment followed by hydro and nuclear power while the rest will be from coal.

"We have made it very clear that solar and wind are our first commitment. Hydro, nuclear - all of these non-carbon sources are what we will develop to the largest extent that we can. What cannot be met by these will be met by coal," India's key negotiator Ajay Mathur said at the UN climate conference.

At the same time, India also said it was ready to reduce its reliance on coal if the developed countries were ready to support a quicker transition of India's economy towards renewables with adequate finances and key technology.

Mathur also directed a hint towards developed nations and made clear that India also looks at an agreement in Paris which "enables" financial support from those nations who have developed on the "backs of cheap energy".

"We look forward to an agreement that enables financial support from the countries that have developed on the backs of cheap energy to those who have to meet their energy demands with more expensive but low carbon or zero carbon energy," he said.

Developing countries need money and technology to make the switch to clean energy sources like solar and wind power.

They have also asked for money to adapt to climate change. The developed countries said they will help but are reluctant to make firm commitments.The 12-day climate conference here will, for the first time in over 20 years of UN negotiations, aims to achieve a legally binding and universal agreement on climate, with the aim to keep global warming below 2 C over pre-industrial temperatures.

Mathur on Wednesday said that India looks to enhance its renewable energy capacity by over seven times.He had said that this enhancement of renewable does "not" get as much attention as the fact that the balance will be met by coal electricity.

Coal will increase by two to two-and-half times and this gets far more attention than the fact that it would also mean a seven times increase of renewables.

"We are looking at something in 200 GW of solar and wind energy by 2030," he had said.

Source:dna