NEW DELHI: Will India again miss the target to control the emission of sulphur, a major greenhouse gas? It appears so, as the pace of installing the technology to remove sulphur from its source is too slow. Only 5 per cent thermal power plants have installed sulphur-removal technology, while over 50 per cent plants are yet to start feasibility study when the deadline is hardly a year away.
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has extended three deadlines to coal-fired power plants to install the flue-gas desulfurisation (FGD) technology. FGD removes sulphur from exhaust flue gases of fossil fuels-fired power plants. Around half of India’s power generation is based on fossil fuels.
According to latest data, only 23 out of total 600 units of coal-fired power plants have installed FGD technology in the past eight years. Around 50 per cent units are yet to start their feasibility study and bidding.
Indian thermal power plants account for 80 per cent of industrial emissions of toxic sulphur and nitrous oxide. After Russia, India is the second largest producer of sulphur gas, which harms the human respiratory system and makes breathing difficult, especially in children. The World Health Organisation has estimated that it causes 4.2 million deaths globally per year.
The environment ministry issued its first notification to coal-fired plants for installation of FGD technology in 2015. After expiry of the deadline, other notifications were issued in 2017 and 2021. Recently, the government categorised different timelines for different categories of coal-fired power plants with targets varying between December 2024 and December 2026.
“The FGD technology was delayed due to various techno-economic constraints faced by thermal power plants, including Covid impact,” Union environment minister Bhupendra Yadav had told the Parliament.
Industry sources said the government’s plan on FGD was not well-thought. The sudden imposition caused a stampede like situation in the market which pushed cost up. Later supply chain issues had emerged due to pandemic and later ban on import from China after the Galwan conflict.
However, India’s domestic FGD technology manufacturing capacity is too low. It is around 10% of the total requirement. Also, India’s public undertaking BHEL manufacturing costs come around Rs 1-1.2 crore per MW.
“The current major issue is cost,” says Industry sources. “For instance, if a coal-fired plant of 250 MW is going to invest around Rs 250 crore, they also look for returns, which is absent from the government's plan,” he adds.