SALIENT OBSERVATIONS

  • India’s dependence on coal for power generation is currently at 72% and shall continue for the next 10-15 years.
  • Indian Coal is of sub-bituminous category, having Ash as high as 25-45% and is being fired for the last 72 years in power plants using Pulverized Fuel Firing, a method of combustion that was developed by the British for low ash coal firing.
  • Coal-based power plants are significant source of air pollution. Delhi Air pollution from Coal and fly Ash contributes around 37% of PM10 and 26% of PM2.5 as per IIT Kanpur Study October 2016 on Delhi Pollution.
  • Solution does not lie in closing Thermal Power Plants but to invest in Coal beneficiation and import of good quality coal for mixing with Indian Coal.

AUH PANEL RECOMMENDS FOLLOWING STRATEGIC INTERVENTIONS

  • Promote Renewable Energy for Power sector, increase from current 83 GW to 260 GW by 2024.
  • Reduce usage of low-grade, high ash content coal by 30% by 2021 and 40% by 2024. Import of good quality coal be promoted as a policy and coal beneficiation at pithead should be augmented.
  • Govt should fund research to evolve technologies and systems for effective burning of Indian High Ash Coal in power plants.
  • Removal of sulfur from coal before combustion, or of the sulfur oxide after combustion but before it enters the stack.
  • Replace coal with gas/ solar if emission standards for clean air are not met in coal-based powerplants close to mega and metro cities.
  • Development of innovative ESPs/technologies to filter Power Plant and Industrial Boiler particulate matter.

Solution does not lie in closing Thermal Power Plants in a panic but to invest in improving coal quality and technology for efficient combustion and effective remediation, like ESPs, Scrubbers etc.

TIME FRAME

Reduce Coal based Power Plant Pollution by 60% by 2024 (As against 20-30% reduction by 2024 as per NCAP)

AGENCY RESPONSIBLE

• Department of Coal
• Department of Renewable Energy
• NTPC
• Power Utility Companies