India's Move to Revolutionize Coal: Unlocking Potential with Coal Gasification Auction

The Indian government is making strides toward a cleaner energy future by planning to auction coal blocks suitable for gasification, according to a senior official's announcement on Friday.

The government aims to gasify 100 million tonnes of coal over the next five years, reflecting its commitment to innovative uses of natural resources. Coal Additional Secretary Rupinder Brar, speaking at a roadshow on coal gasification organized by the coal ministry and Ficci, highlighted the imminent auction of coal blocks with high potential for this process.

This ambitious project offers a cleaner alternative to traditional coal methods by converting coal into syngas, which consists of gases like carbon monoxide and hydrogen. The resulting syngas can produce fertilizers, methanol, and synthetic natural gas, thus broadening the utility of coal. Concurrently, the government plans to allocate the remaining Rs 2,500 crore of an Rs 8,500 crore incentive scheme to promote coal and lignite gasification projects, emphasizing the sector's pivotal role in reducing reliance on imported products.

(With inputs from agencies.)