South Eastern Coalfields Limited plans to become net zero by 2030

Bilaspur/Koriya (Chhattisgarh) [India], June 8 (ANI): South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL) has taken up a major responsibility of becoming net zero by 2030, along with humongous task of meeting energy needs of the country by causing least damage to the environment.

SECL is planning to generate 700 megawatt energy through solar and it would be achieved by 2030, to achieve the target of net zero.

Speaking to ANI exclusively about the company's plan to go green, SECL Chairman-cum-Managing Director (CMD) Harish Duhan said that the company is taking multiple steps in the direction of adopting green energy. To become net zero, this company requires 700 megawatt and we would be able to generate this energy by 2030 through solar energy.

"Along with direct production of coal, the company is heading towards gasification of coal. Different projects are coming here and the company will work on the direction of coal gasification," said the CMD.

Duhan further informed that according to the vision of the Coal Minister that the company should produce 100 million cubic meter gas, different projects in this regard are coming. We have also planned a project at conceptual stage for a plant to generate green ammonia as encouraged by the PM and energy requirement for this plant will be ensured through solar energy, he said.

Working on the direction of sustainability, the company is employing environment-friendly machines in the mining process that fulfils the required norms, said CMD Duhan.

Similarly, the dispatch of coal to thermal plants is being carried out through coal handling plants and FMC projects resulting in very less use of trucks and consumption of diesel, he added.

Similarly, extensive plantation drives are being carried out after mining as a move to restore the environment and ensure compliance of all the norms during closure of mines, said Duhan.

Heading towards sustainability, the company has installed a 20 megawatt solar plant to generate clean energy, said SECL Area General Manager (AGM) for Bhatgaon Dilip Bobde.

Moreover, the company has proposed to set up solar plants on land remaining after underground mining, said Bobde, adding that we are planning to bring a coal gasification plant and some more steps are being taken to attain sustainability. (ANI)

(The story has come from a syndicated feed and has not been edited by the Tribune Staff.)