(ET)
India is keen to collaborate with the US department of energy to source technology for coal gasification to tap into the country’s large reserves, improve its fuel efficiency and reduce dependence on imports. The move was triggered after recent attempts by the government and private players to set up their own coal gasification plants failed. A high-level meeting chaired by NITI Aayog member VK Saraswat was held recently with officials from US department of energy. A senior government official told ET that the meeting was called because the government is keen on global partnerships to achieve coal gasification at lower costs and integrate technology for smarter handling of the fuel in an economically viable way. “India is well endowed with vast reserves of coal which are vital in meeting the country’s energy needs. Coal gasification is one of the prominent areas that need to be looked at, being one of the cost-effective options that would also bring down import dependence,” the official said.
