Underground Coal Gasification: Jharkhand
The Ministry of Coal has initiated India’s first pilot project for Underground Coal Gasification (UCG) in Jharkhand, aiming to revolutionize the coal industry.
- Coal gasification is a process that converts underground coal into valuable gases such as methane, hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide.
- This is achieved by partially oxidizing coal using air, oxygen, steam, or CO2 under controlled conditions to produce syngas, a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen.
- Syngas can be used for power generation and making methanol.
- India has initiated the National Coal Gasification Mission, aiming for 100 million tons of coal gasification by 2030, allowed 100% FDI in coal mining, and implemented the Viability Gap Funding scheme for promoting coal and lignite gasification projects.
