Coal Gasification policy on anvil to exploit vast coal resources sustainably

India has already started coal gasification, for which it is setting aside 85 billion rupees ($1 billion) in subsidies to help get projects off the ground.

While today , there is a target for coal gasification by 2030, it is just too little as compared to the vast potential of coal reserve that would last for 350.years at the current rate of consumption.

While as per the current indigenous technology available in India, the coal gadification.of Indian high ash coal results in lesser emissions than the coal.fired units. As the technology evolves, it would further enhance efficiency and the Govt may make it mandatory for100% coal gasification in future.

The policy is expected to be unveiled later this year – should Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government retain power in upcoming elections — and will include incentives for companies to Trap, Recycle and wherever possible store their emissions underground as being done by several other nations.

The power sector generates 42% of India’s total emissions and that atleast 70% of that can be captured and recycled through carbon capture.

Around 40 Carbon Capture and Storage units are currently operational globally, and 50 more are expected to enter operation by 2030, a pace far too slow to reach carbon neutrality by mid century, according to the International Energy Agency.