Flue Gas Desulphurisation (FGD):
A study commissioned by the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser has recommended rolling back the 2015 order mandating Flue Gas Desulphurisation (FGD) installation across all coal plants. FGD installation should be mandated only for plants burning imported or high-sulphur coal (>0.5% sulfur content), not for all coal plants.
Findings:
- 92% of Indian coal is low-sulphur (0.3–0.5%).
- Stack heights and climatic conditions in India naturally disperse SO₂ emissions, limiting local air quality threats.
- Full FGD rollout would consume significant freshwater and add 69 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions by 2030 while marginally reducing SO₂.
- Acid rain is not a major environmental issue in India as per IIT Delhi’s 2024 study
