Coal Minister Pralhad Joshi on Wednesday told Parliament that underground coal gasification technology is not proven environmentally sustainable and commercially across the world and it is not under consideration for adoption in India.
“Underground Coal Gasification is not a proven environmentally sustainable technology. Resultantly, Underground Coal Gasification (UCG) technology is not proven commercially across world. The pilot project at Australia was dropped due to economic and environmental concerns. As such UCG is not under consideration for adoption in India,” the minister said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.
Gasification of coal is a process in which coal is partially oxidated by air, oxygen, steam or carbon dioxide under controlled conditions to produce a fuel gas.
