VISAKHAPATNAM: As part of its green initiatives to bring down pollution levels, four Flue Gas Desulphurisation (FGD) units are being set up at a cost of over Rs 891 crore by NTPC Simhadri.
While the first unit would be commissioned in June and the remaining three units by the year's end, said NTPC Simhadri group general manager Sanjay Kumar Sinha on Friday.
Speaking to mediapersons, Sinha said that following the commissioning of the four units, sulphur dioxide levels would be brought down by 90 per cent to 95 per cent. “Sulphur dioxide will be used in the production of gypsum as a byproduct, as there is good demand for the latter, which fetches good revenue,” he said.
He asserted that an ambitious green hydrogen project for which an MoU was signed by NTPC with SMEC during the Global Investor’s Summit at Vizag will be set up at Pudimadka. An ecosystem for producing hydrogen energy, including hydrogen-related components and green hydrogen.
Sinha said that the project has been taken up in two main areas --industrial and hydrogen. The first phase of the project in all likelihood will be completed by 2026 and once the project is over, it is expected to generate 30,000 jobs for local youth, he added.
“The industrial area will cover 600 acres of land and will feature pre-engineered buildings/sheds with solar rooftops, industrial spaces, and a central business district. It will also host manufacturing facilities for new energy technologies, such as electrolysers, fuel cells, batteries, solar wafers, solar modules, wind turbine equipment, carbon capture systems, etc. The hydrogen area will be home to one of India’s largest green hydrogen production facilities with a capacity of 1500TPD,” NTPC Simhadri group general manager elaborated.
Sinha said that this facility would be operated in collaboration with other global companies and would produce green hydrogen/ derivatives, including 1300 TPD of green ammonia and 1200TPD of green methanol, primarily for the South Asian export market. As per order by the Andhra Pradesh govt, NTPC should complete the 1st phase of the project by 2026 and the 2nd phase by 2030.
Sinha said low NOx burners were installed in the stage two units. “Cow dung mulching and innovative use of a drone for suppression of ash dust are also being employed. Water tankers were deployed for wetting the ash dyke roads and village roads. PM10 values have shown significant reduction in the surrounding villages due to these initiatives,” he said.
“We have installed wind barriers in ash dykes for controlling fugitive dust emission. Tall growing trees have been planted in between dyke and villages as a green belt. Sprinklers and rain guns have been installed all around the dykes for fugitive dust suppression,” he added.