What do you understand by the Advanced Ultra-Supercritical (AUSC) Technology? While highlighting the key features of National Mission on Advanced Ultra-Supercritical (AUSC) Technology, discuss how it can change India's energy paradigm.

Advanced ultra-supercritical technology for thermal power production operates on critical temperature and critical pressure of water in range of 700-760 degrees and 350 bars and targets operating efficiency greater than 50%. The key features of National Mission on Advanced Ultra-Supercritical (AUSC) Technology are as follows:

• The mission aims to spend nearly $ 238 million on cleaner coal utilisation technology
• It proposes setting up of two Centres of Excellence on clean coal technologies.
• Government has approved a budget of Rs 1554 crore for the research and development of AUSC technology for thermal power plants
• The design of the 800 MW advanced ultra supercritical (AUSC) boiler for coal power plant is expected to be ready by 2019-2020.
• It aims to construct Smart Grids & and improve Energy Storage facility in the country
• Government has also announced two Mission Innovation-centric funding opportunities in smart grid and off grid access.
• Under the Indo–US Joint Clean Energy Research Programme, a new collaborative public–private programme on Smart Grids & Energy Storage has been approved.

Advanced ultra supercritical technology is a pioneering indigenous technology and has potential enough to solve the bottlenecks of coal based power plants and change energy paradigm of the country.