Coal will continue to play key role in energy, but coal gasification already started : Pralhad Joshi

Union Coal and Mines Minister Pralhad Joshi on Tuesday said that coal will continue to play an important role in the energy mix in India, but the government has started coal gasification drive in a big way.

"Coal demand in the country is yet to peak and will continue to play an important role in the energy mix till 2040 and beyond. Thus, no transition away from coal is happening in the foreseeable future in India," Joshi told DH here.

Pointing out that there are several developed countries reviving their coal plants to meet the energy demand, he said India will also have to take care of its energy security and has to do a balancing act.

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Insisting that India is committed to meet its obligation on climate change, the Minister said,”as a responsible country, India will take all steps required to reduce emissions."

Climate change is also going to be one of the key agendas at G-20 of which India is assuming presidency from December 1.

India in its Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategy to the United National Framework Convention on Climate Change said that the transition from fossil fuels will be undertaken in a just, smooth, sustainable and all inclusive manner.

Emphasising that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s commitment to the world on emission will definitely follow, Joshi said,”the government is focussing on gasification of coal in a big way. Besides, plantations are going on a large scale.”

The process of partially oxidizing coal with air, oxygen, steam or carbon dioxide to form syngas is called coal gasification.

Joshi said that net-zero does not mean that India will stop emissions, but it will create capacity to absorb it, and added that as compared to the western world India's per capita emission is not even one-third. The government is providing Rs 6,000 crore towards viability gap funding for the gasification.