India is burning more coal as extreme heat and the Iran war squeeze energy supplies

NEW DELHI, INDIA - APRIL 27: People are seen protecting themselves from the sun on a hot summer day at Raisina Hill on April 27, 2026 in New Delhi, India. Delhi-NCR experienced intense heatwave conditions with maximum temperatures reaching between 42 degrees Celsius and 45 degrees Celsius across the region. (Photo by Raj K Raj/Hindustan Times via ) Hindustan Times | Hindustan Times | India, the world's third-largest carbon dioxide emitter , is burning more coal as energy supply disruptions due to the Iran war and a nationwide heatwave have boosted demand for the dirty fuel. More than 70% of India's power is generated from coal-fired plants, and energy experts told CNBC that the share is expected to rise this year. In February, India announced that more than 52% of its total installed power generation capacity came from non-fossil fuel sources, with the majority coming from solar, hydropower and wind. Yet, coal-fired power plants, which account for nearly 43% of total generation capacity, remain the dominant source of energy . Coal-fired power generation in India in April increased to 164.9 average gigawatts, compared with 160.7 average gigawatts last year, according to data shared by S&P Global Energy. According to the data, coal-fired power generation rose sequentially by 5.6 average gigawatts, or 3.5%, in April. …