Electricity & Power
The electric power sector, although not an end-use sector, is perhaps the most important for pass-through energy within modern economies. It is expected to become increasingly important, in part because wind, solar, geothermal, and hydropower sources are primarily being tapped in modern times to produce electricity. If the transition away from combustion fuels, including fossil fuels, is to proceed, more of our tasks will need to shift toward electricity.
Since this is a pass-through sector, which provides energy to all of the end-use sectors, the efficiencies of electric power production play an important role in the overall efficiency of any system. Efficiency is important to the sector, but electric power is also important to overall efficiency considerations, since it can offer better end-use efficiencies than combustion-based energy uses. The transition to heavy reliance on renewable energy sources will almost certainly demand an expansion of electric power into more extensive use in activities including cooking and heating, but most especially in transportation.
The electric power sector, although not an end-use sector, is perhaps the most important for pass-through energy within modern economies. It is expected to become increasingly important, in part because wind, solar, geothermal, and hydropower sources are primarily being tapped in modern times to produce electricity. If the transition away from combustion fuels, including fossil fuels, is to proceed, more of our tasks will need to shift toward electricity.
Since this is a pass-through sector, which provides energy to all of the end-use sectors, the efficiencies of electric power production play an important role in the overall efficiency of any system. Efficiency is important to the sector, but electric power is also important to overall efficiency considerations, since it can offer better end-use efficiencies than combustion-based energy uses. The transition to heavy reliance on renewable energy sources will almost certainly demand an expansion of electric power into more extensive use in activities including cooking and heating, but most especially in transportation.
SUBJECT Variables
INSTALLED CAPACITY
Installed capacity is the maximum output of electricity that a generator can produce under ideal conditions. Capacity levels are normally determined as a result of performance tests and allow utilities to project the maximum electricity load that a generator can support.
As of 31 March
- The total installed capacity as of 31 Mar'22 was 399,497 MW - a 4.5% increase over a year ago. The installed capacity of thermal sources (coal & lignite, natural gas, diesel) increased by 0.6%, while that of renewable sources increased by 16.4%.
- The total installed capacity across all sources doubled in the last 10 years (2012 to 2022) with the highest growth recorded in renewable sources (348%) - 24,503 MW to 109,855 MW. The growth in thermal sources was 79%, 42% in nuclear, while that in hydro-electric was only 20%.
As of 31 March
- Thermal sources (coal & lignite, natural gas, diesel) comprised 59% of the total installed capacity as of 31 Mar'22, in comparison to 61.4% a year ago.
- Renewable sources comprised 27.5% of the total installed capacity in 2022, in comparison to 24.7% a year ago.
As of 31 March
- 46% of the total installed capacity as of 31 Mar'22 was concentrated in the 5 states of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, and Karnataka.
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