The first line is so true: "From Newcastle to Appalachia and well beyond, coal has woven its way into societies the world over." As policymakers create more ambitious targets for emissions reductions, I hope they also planning for the livelihoods of the people in the coal industry. It is unlikely that solar installation jobs will cut it.
Excellent and comprehensive story Bill. I remember watching people gather the coal that fell off the trains at the side of the tracks - it will be a huge challenge to lessen its presence in India’s life and economy.
Thanks Paul. One thing I’m keen to try to figure out on this trip is related to those people surviving as best they can by gathering coal: Will all the many Indians and Indian institutions that profit from coal — or just depend on it — meaningfully prolong the transition away from coal? Or is the momentum behind solar so strong it leaves even the powerful among them powerless to slow coal’s demise, an unplanned and even more painful adjustment in its wake. That’s what happened in the past two years, when sluggish demand (due to slow economic growth) crushed coal-fired generation. If battery storage prices fall as fast a solar panels, that could continue even when demand picks up after covid.
Very true. I imagine it will vary by local, state, regional, national government priorities and I suspect the first two will be very powerful influences whichever wins out.
The first line is so true: "From Newcastle to Appalachia and well beyond, coal has woven its way into societies the world over." As policymakers create more ambitious targets for emissions reductions, I hope they also planning for the livelihoods of the people in the coal industry. It is unlikely that solar installation jobs will cut it.
Excellent and comprehensive story Bill. I remember watching people gather the coal that fell off the trains at the side of the tracks - it will be a huge challenge to lessen its presence in India’s life and economy.
Thanks Paul. One thing I’m keen to try to figure out on this trip is related to those people surviving as best they can by gathering coal: Will all the many Indians and Indian institutions that profit from coal — or just depend on it — meaningfully prolong the transition away from coal? Or is the momentum behind solar so strong it leaves even the powerful among them powerless to slow coal’s demise, an unplanned and even more painful adjustment in its wake. That’s what happened in the past two years, when sluggish demand (due to slow economic growth) crushed coal-fired generation. If battery storage prices fall as fast a solar panels, that could continue even when demand picks up after covid.
Very true. I imagine it will vary by local, state, regional, national government priorities and I suspect the first two will be very powerful influences whichever wins out.