Tangedco emissions at record high in FY24, RE fell below target: Study
The state utility's grid emissions factor (EF) also worsened, reaching 0.75 tonnes of CO₂ per megawatt-hour, higher than the national average of 0.73 tCO₂/MWh.
Representative Image (PTI)
CHENNAI: Carbon emissions from Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (Tangedco) touched a record high of 83.05 million tonnes of CO₂ in 2023-24, mainly due to increased reliance on coal, lignite and short-term market purchases, a new study has found.
According to a report by Auroville Consulting, authored by Akanksha Galagali, which analysed seven years of power procurement data using Central Electricity Authority (CEA) figures, fossil fuels continued to dominate the state's energy mix, accounting for 52% of electricity procured in 2023-24. Despite marginal growth in solar and hydro, Tangedco's renewable energy (RE) procurement dropped to just 12% in FY24, falling short of the 27% Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) target.
The state utility's grid emissions factor (EF) also worsened, reaching 0.75 tonnes of CO₂ per megawatt-hour, higher than the national average of 0.73 tCO₂/MWh. Lignite emerged as the most emissions-intensive fuel, with an EF of 1.38 tCO₂/MWh.
The report noted that Tangedco's carbon emissions have increased by 47% since 2020-21, when emissions were at their lowest due to pandemic-related demand drops. The rise has been driven by a 28% increase in fossil fuel procurement and a surge in short-term purchases, which grew by 150% over the seven years.
Despite a 29% growth in overall RE procurement since 2017-18, the last three years saw stagnation. While solar and hydro contributed the bulk of the renewable supply, wind and biomass remained marginal. Nuclear energy maintained a modest but steady share of around 10%.
The study highlighted declining operational efficiency in gas-based thermal plants, where emissions failed to fall in proportion to declining procurement. It is recommended that Tangedco modernise its ageing thermal fleet, phase down lignite use, and improve consistency in RE generation to meet climate goals.
The report also called for integrating emissions intensity as a core criterion in future power procurement and planning, noting that Tamil Nadu's electricity demand is likely to continue growing in the near term.