Question:

Which among the following has the highest share in India's installed power generation capacity?

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India’s electricity generation is still dominated by thermal power plants, especially coal-based plants, although renewable energy capacity is rapidly increasing every year.
Updated On: May 22, 2026
  • Natural Gas
  • Coal
  • Solar Energy
  • Wind Energy
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The Correct Option is B

Solution and Explanation

Concept: India has a diversified power generation sector that includes:
• Thermal power
• Hydroelectric power
• Solar energy
• Wind energy
• Nuclear power Among all these sources, thermal power generation based mainly on coal has historically dominated the installed power capacity in India.

Step 1: Analyze Natural Gas

Natural gas power plants contribute to electricity generation in India, but their share is comparatively smaller due to:
• Fuel availability issues
• Higher operational cost
• Infrastructure limitations Therefore: \[ \text{Natural Gas does not have the highest share} \]

Step 2: Analyze Coal

Coal-based thermal power plants form the backbone of India’s electricity generation sector. Reasons include:
• Large coal reserves
• Established infrastructure
• Reliable base-load generation
• Long history of thermal power development Coal contributes the largest portion of installed electricity generation capacity. Hence: \[ \text{Coal has the highest share} \]

Step 3: Analyze Solar Energy

Solar energy capacity has increased rapidly in recent years due to renewable energy initiatives. However, its total installed share is still lower than coal-based capacity. Thus: \[ \text{Solar Energy does not have the highest share} \]

Step 4: Analyze Wind Energy

Wind energy also contributes significantly to renewable generation. But its installed capacity remains lower than coal-based thermal power. Therefore: \[ \text{Wind Energy does not have the highest share} \]

Step 5: Final Conclusion

Among the given options, the source with the highest installed power generation capacity in India is: \[ \boxed{\text{Coal}} \] Therefore, the correct option is: \[ \boxed{(B)} \]
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