Low carbon electricity system for India in 2030 based on multi-objective multi-criteria assessment

Renewable energy is considered crucial for climate change mitigation that can limit global warming to 1.5-2 degrees C. However, the impact of capacity expansion of renewables on the sustainability dimensions has not been rigorously assessed for the Indian scenario. In this perspective, the present research investigates the optimal capacity installation of renewables using a proposed modelling framework. The framework encompasses a multi-objective optimization model interlinked to a sustainability model. This work develops a simplified temporally resolved electricity model of India to explore nine broad scenarios. The Pareto front solutions are ranked under a set of decision-maker preference scenarios across six sustainability metrics, including economic dispatchability, emission, water-use, land-use, safety, and employment. Results indicate a possibility of 25.5%-41.2% of renewable penetration by 2030. The Pareto frontiers with a higher share of onshore wind, utility solar photovoltaic, and dammed hydro are among the top-ranked solutions. High river hydro supported by high levels of offshore wind can significantly contribute to low carbon generation without overshooting the upfront cost. Overall, the electricity mix with the least coal power generation of 1175 TWh/yr estimates to be the most sustainable solution. This paper addresses the sensitivity to changes in input lifetime year and cost assumptions; output shows considerable robustness of annual system costs to the lifetime of technologies and higher sensitivity to utility solar and onshore wind costs.