A study by Dr. Kirat Singh and colleagues at Stanford University found that nitrogen dioxide and ozone emissions from coal-fired power plants in India significantly reduce yields of staple crops like wheat and rice, with losses exceeding 10% in some areas.
This equates to a loss of approximately six years' worth of average yield growth.
Regional Impact: Wheat production is primarily affected in central and northern states, while rice production is mainly impacted in southern and eastern states.
Long-Term Coal Reserves: India has estimated coal reserves sufficient for approximately 120 years.
India's History with Coal Power: Coal-fired power generation has been used in India since 1920, and despite some improvements, the fundamental technology remains largely the same.
The article proposes several cleaner alternatives to coal-based electricity generation:
Wind Power: India is the fourth largest wind power producer globally, with nine states generating up to 50 GW of electricity.
Private companies have contributed significantly to wind power generation.
Solar Power: Solar panels on rooftops and large-scale solar farms convert sunlight into electricity. Government subsidies are available to encourage solar panel adoption.
Hydropower: Dams built across rivers can generate electricity.
India's top five dams produce around 50 GW of hydroelectric power.
Osmotic Power: Research suggests that the difference in salinity between river water and seawater can be used to generate electricity.
India's extensive coastline presents a significant opportunity for this technology.
Nuclear Power: Nuclear power plants utilize nuclear fission to generate electricity.
India's eight nuclear power plants currently produce 3.5 GW of electricity.
Call for Transition: The article concludes with a call to phase out coal-based power generation due to its polluting effects and to embrace cleaner, alternative energy sources.
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