NTPC to repurpose coal-based plants in renewables push

The National Thermal Power Corp is planning an aggressive push in the renewable energy segment and repurposing their existing coal-based plants, according to NTPC chairman and managing director Gurdeep Singh. “We will go for an aggressive push for solar, hydro, wind, and repurposing of our existing coal-based plants,” Singh said in a panel discussion at a KPMG-hosted event in New Delhi. He added that though the state-run giant will increase its renewable energy share in its power mix, this does not mean that NTPC will shut down its coal-based plants. The NTPC Group had an installed power generation capacity of 69,134 MW at the end of July 2022, including coal-based capacity of 56,800 MW, gas-based capacity of 6,400 MW, hydropower capacity of 3,700 MW and 2,000 MW (2.8% of the total) of renewable energy. On the role of natural gas in energy transition, Rajarshi Gupta, managing director of ONGC Videsh (OVL), speaking at the same event, said that gas is not a transition fuel, but rather a transformative fuel. “OVL has a dream to be a vehicle for transferring renewable energy technology to India from other nations,” said Gupta. The KPMG’s two-day ENRich 2022 event was on the theme ‘Dealing with energy and resources trilemma’. See also: Indore plans India's first retail municipal green bond for solar plantYadadri thermal plant likely to be operational next year