Coal Gasification by 2030

In News

• Recently, the Centre has prepared a National Mission document to achieve 100 million tonne (MT) coal gasification by 2030.

About the government’s National Mission document

• V.K. Saraswat committee: A Steering Committee has been constituted in this regard under the chairmanship of Dr. V.K. Saraswat.
• Significance of the move: This will boost production of synthetic natural gas, energy fuel, and urea for fertilisers and production of other chemicals.
  • It is a step towards the government’s commitments for green initiatives in the coal sector.

What do you mean by Coal gasification?

• Coal gasification is the process of producing syngas: a mixture consisting primarily of carbon monoxide (CO), hydrogen (H2), carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and water vapour (H2O)—from coal and water, air and/or oxygen.
• Rather than burning coal directly, gasification converts all of the carbon of the coal into electricity, hydrogen, and other forms of energy through partial oxidation.

Advantages of Coal gasification

• Coal gasification can also help address local pollution problems that have in recent months brought parts of the country to a virtual standstill.
• Gasification facilitates utilisation of the chemical properties of coal.
• It is considered a cleaner option compared to the burning of coal.
• Coal gas can be converted into chemical energy and is used for the production of iron from iron ore, as well as for the production of methanol and urea.
• Carbon Capture and Storage: another advantage of coal gasification is the fact that it lets you separate the good parts from the bad, and select the parts you want to keep.

Disadvantages of Coal gasification

• Some studies say that coal gasification actually produces more CO2 than a traditional coal plant.
• Its overall carbon intensity is worse: so it is not attractive at all from a climate change point of view.
• Coal gasification is one of the more water-intensive forms of energy production while the country is already suffering from water shortages.

Steps taken by the Government in this sector

• Concession of 20% on revenue share: For encouraging use of clean sources of fuel, the government has provided for a concession of 20% on revenue share of coal used for gasification.
• CIL has also planned to set up at least 3 gasification plants (besides Dankuni) on BOO basis through global tendering and has signed an MOU with GAIL for marketing synthetic natural gas.
  • This will help in harnessing the nation’s reserves for maximum utilisation while heading on the path to sustainability, as per global standards.
• Technological advancements are offering greater coal recovery, flexibility in mining operations, increased productivity, greater safety and lowering cost.
• Setting up of National Coal Gasification Mission
  • In order to create awareness among all stakeholders and to prepare an implementable road map with specific responsibilities, the Ministry of Coal has decided to set up the National Coal Gasification Mission. The Mission is created with an aim to take up following objectives which are required for the vision of achieving 100 MT coal gasification by 2030. 

Way forward

• The Centre aims at self-sufficiency in the coal sector in a bid to help India fulfil its demand for fuel in the economy.
  • The country is hard-hit by the coal crisis in which only 40% of the production capacity can be produced.
• Companies need to adopt new technologies and build digital infrastructure to support the current and future requirements. There is a need to ensure optimal use of technology in the sector.
• India’s hydrogen demand is likely to increase to 11.7 million tonnes by 2030 from 6.7 million tonnes per year as of now.
  • Refineries and fertiliser plants are the largest consumers of hydrogen now, which is being produced from natural gas.
  • It can be produced through coal in the processes during coal gasification.

Source:PIB