Technologies needed for clean coal
Coal will continue to play an important role in Indian energy scenario over the next 20-30 years, Coal Minister Pralhad Joshi told the CERAWeek on 15 Oct 2019.
Proven technologies to use coal in a cleaner and more sustainable way are available and washeries are being set up in the country, he said.
A fertilizer plant in Odisha would be first of its kind using coal gasification technology, he pointed out.
“While my mandate is to ensure availability of coal, we are equally sensitive about environment issues. Our per capita consumption of coal is about 1/10th of that of the United States,” said Joshi.
“With help of technologies, we are going to use coal in a much cleaner way. We are going big on reclamation of mining areas and afforestation.
“Energy affordability is key to improving energy access,” Joshi stressed at the India Ministerial Dialogue at third India Energy Forum by CERAWeek in New Delhi.
He was joined by Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Commerce and Industry as well as Railway Minister Piyush Goyal.
Pradhan said that the presence of ministers at the Forum is a testimony to the high importance that the Government accords to the India’s energy sector in a dynamic global energy landscape.
Given its huge energy appetite and growth potential, India will be the key driver of global energy demand in the coming decades – in fact, it will experience the fastest growth in energy consumption among all large economies, said Pradhan.
To meet this huge demand, India would need a healthy mix of all commercially viable energy sources, he added.
“We are on cusp of Energy revolution. Energy has become an essential commodity in our bilateral trade engagements with several key trading partners, we are improving domestic coal production, reducing import dependency, and Gas is playing an important role in energy basket,” elaborated Goyal.
Minister of State of Power and New & Renewable Energy R.K. Singh assured “We are preparing for a low- carbon energy future as our Government has aimed to set up a 450GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030.”
“We have laid down stringent emission standards for our power plants,” added Singh.
Speaking about investment potential India holds, he added, “If you are in energy, you must be in India.” fiinews.com
