Ministry of Coal Organises BRICS Side Event on Clean Coal Technologies and Coal Gasification

📌 Summary:

• The Ministry of Coal organised a BRICS Side Event on Clean Coal Technologies focused on Coal Gasification, with a BRICS delegation from Russia, Ethiopia and the UAE plus PSUs, industry and technology providers
• Coal gasification converts coal into syngas — used to produce ammonia, methanol, hydrogen, synthetic fuels and DRI; it strengthens energy security and cuts import dependence by using domestic coal
• India's target: gasify 100 million tonnes of coal by 2030, supported by policy support, financial incentives, assured coal linkages and inter-ministerial coordination
• Presentations: BHEL (gasification technology); Jindal Steel and Greta Energy (projects); Eastern Coalfields' Kasta Underground Coal Gasification (UCG) pilot; Coal India (linkages); Nominated Authority (block allocation and UCG policy)
• Panel discussed project economics, geological and processing challenges, use of high-ash Indian coal, and the policy/financial support required for wider adoption

🎯 UPSC Relevance: GS3 Economy (energy security, industrial policy) and Environment (cleaner coal use) — domestic resource utilisation, import substitution and BRICS techno-economic cooperation.

📝 Prelims Facts:

• Coal gasification target: 100 million tonnes (MT) by 2030
• Syngas products: ammonia, methanol, hydrogen, synthetic fuels, DRI (Direct Reduced Iron)
• UCG = Underground Coal Gasification; Kasta UCG pilot by Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL)
• BRICS delegation: Russia, Ethiopia, UAE

🔑 Key Term: Coal Gasification — a process converting coal into synthesis gas (syngas, a CO + H₂ mixture) for cleaner use as feedstock for fuels and chemicals instead of direct combustion.