National Mineral Congress delegates visit JSP plant

Angul/Bhubaneswar: More than 60 delegates of the National Mineral Congress, organised by the Indian National Committee World Mining Congress and supported by the Union Ministry, visited the Coal Gasification Plant (CGP) set up by Jindal Steel & Power (JSP) at Angul on the second day of the congress on May 28.

The team, comprised senior mining professionals from various metal, mining & mining technology organisations, had an overview of all CGP units to have first-hand knowledge about its functioning and advantages.

JSP's managing director V R Sharma and other senior officials explained to the delegates the features of CGP and the process for production of synthesis gas. JSP is the first steelmaker in the world to produce steel through the CGP – DRI route.

Addressing the first session of the congress held at Bhubaneswar on May 27, JSP chairman Naveen Jindal said, "Coal Gasification is the future of Coal". He highlighted the benefits of coal gas technology for producing clean energy. "Coal Gasification uses the chemical energy of coal and offers the cleanest and most efficient means to produce sponge steel and chemicals like methanol, ethanol, and blue hydrogen," he said.

Jindal thanked the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Coal for encouraging coal gasification technology. "We are committed to take care of the environment and simultaneously ensure economic development for becoming the 'Atma Nirbhar Bharat' through the application of green technologies like coal gasification. The industry needs to collaborate with each other and work together to make this technology more efficient," he added.

Sharma highlighted various advantages of coal gas technology. "The synthesis gas produced from the CGP contains 60 percent hydrogen. We can make the cheapest blue hydrogen from this. The government needs to ensure the availability of coal to the CGP from a single coal mine; so that it can get coal of consistent quality and achieve better efficiency," he said.

Sharma suggested that more coal gasification plants needs to be promoted in and around coal-bearing areas so that the logistics expenses are minimised. He also said the country should install integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) power plants based on syn gas or coal gas. This will help the government in reducing coal transportation. "Instead of coal transportation we should transport power through transmission lines", he added.

The delegates appreciated JSP for pioneering technology to make steel, using synthesis gas. JSP commissioned the Coal Gasification Plant of 225,000 Normal Meter Cubed per Hour capacity in 2014, which is a milestone for the global steel company.

The CGP uses high ash coal which is predominantly available in the vicinity of the project site. The coal-gasification plant set up by Jindal Steel & Power at Angul has become a 'technology demonstrator' and is frequently visited by national and international dignitaries and organisations. Students from the Harvard University and MIT visited the CGP and wrote out an in-depth case study on it.