India should be cautious of claims about renewables: Arvind Subramanian

Advises nation to steer clear of the 'coal imperialism' imposed by advanced countries

Raising questions over the current method of costing for renewable energy, the chief economic advisor (CEA) to the government of India, Arvind Subramanian, said bidding is not the true criteria for finding the cost of renewable energy in India. At the same time, he warned against falling into the trap of ‘coal imperialism’ being imposed by developed nations, while urging the nation to continue to invest in coal as the base load till 2030.
 
Speaking at the Darbari Seth Memorial Lecture, Subramanian laid down ten propositions to balance the renewable versus fossil fuel market dynamics. “Coal is both the