NamasteIndiaCarbonCapture : Cleaning Coal’s Future
India’s electricity demand is projected to double by 2045, and coal will still supply over 50% of the power mix. For a country where coal contributes nearly 70% of power sector emissions, the challenge is to sustain growth while meeting net-zero by 2070 commitments.
The government’s answer, announced at the Indian Chamber of CommerceCoalSummit, is bold: 50–100% financial incentives for Carbon Capture, Utilisation, and Storage (CCUS).
1. Why this matters
India’s CO₂ emissions: ~2.9 billion tonnes (2024), second only to China.
CCUS potential: capture and store up to 750 million tonnes annually by 2050.
India’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) commit to reducing emissions intensity by 45% by 2030 (vs 2005).
2. Global comparison
United States: Investing through the Inflation Reduction Act; tax credits up to $85/tonne CO₂ captured.
China: Running CCUS pilots in steel and cement; target 1,000 Mtpa by 2060.
EU: Building cross-border CO₂ transport & storage hubs in the North Sea; over 50 projects active.
3. India’s sustainable pathway
Integration with renewables: CCUS will work in tandem with India’s 500 GW renewable energy target by 2030.
Hard-to-abate sectors: Steel, cement, and fertilisers are key candidates for CCUS retrofits.
Circular utilisation: Captured CO₂ can be converted into green methanol, urea, or synthetic fuels, aligning with Make in India and green industrial policy.
Storage capacity: Geological surveys indicate India has potential to store 100+ gigatonnes of CO₂ in depleted oil fields, coal seams, and basalt formations.
4. A sequenced transition
Today: Deploy CCUS as a seatbelt for coal, lowering emissions without halting supply.
Tomorrow: Scale up renewables, green hydrogen, and battery storage.
Long-term: Position coal-linked CCUS as a bridge to a net-zero industrial economy.
CCUS is not about prolonging coal—it is about buying climate time. India is showing that transition is not a leap of faith, but a sequence of steps where technology, policy, and pragmatism walk together.” — Dr. Anju Sharma
NamasteIndia MrsSustainability KtalystInsights
Source / shared link: https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/boards-policy-regulation/india-offer-large-carbon-capture-incentives-coal-remains-major-part-energy-mix-2025-09-11/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Originally published on LinkedIn on 2025-09-12 00:09:45: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn%3Ali%3AgroupPost%3A2474261-7372058804512866304
