In an effort to commercialise coal gasification technology, Thermax, an energy and environment solutions provider, is planning to construct its initial commercial-scale coal gasification plant with a capacity ranging from 100 to 500 tonnes per day (TPD). The company has successfully developed and demonstrated its coal gasification technology through a pilot-scale plant located in Pune.

Experts suggest that this innovative gasification method is well-suited for high-ash Indian coal, particularly those with 30-50% ash content. Current global gasification techniques face limitations and are not suitable for high-ash coal, making them technically impractical for the Indian sector. The implementation of this technology is estimated to require an investment of approximately Rs 20,000 crore.

Positioned as a viable solution for challenging sectors like steel production, the technology aims to facilitate the transition to low-carbon steel manufacturing. Shifting from imported coking coal to syngas-based steelmaking holds the potential to significantly reduce dependence on coking coal and decrease overall steel production costs. Thermax is currently engaged in discussions with various industrial customers in the steel sector who express interest in adopting this in-house solution.