SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy | SDG 9: Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure
Institutions: Ministry of Coal | Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change
The Ministry of Coal, in collaboration with FICCI, organized the 2nd Roadshow on coal gasification technologies - both surface and underground - in New Delhi on 26 September 2025. The event sought to showcase cleaner coal utilization pathways aimed at reducing coal imports, strengthening energy security, and enabling new industrial value chains. Officials noted that coal currently powers ~70 % of Indiaβs electricity and reiterated the Coal Gasification Mission (2020) target of 100 million tonnes by 2030. Presentations covered technical aspects, bidding frameworks, regulatory safeguards, and investment opportunities.
This roadshow signals a push to transition traditional coal power toward higher-value and lower-emission applications. By promoting gasification, the government is attempting to decouple the environmental footprint of coal from Indiaβs baseload energy portfolio. If scaled well, the move could catalyse synergies with hydrogen economy goals, clean fuels, and industrial feedstock production, while helping India meet its energy security and climate commitments.
What is coal gasification? β A technology that converts coal into syngas (a mix of hydrogen, carbon monoxide, methane), which can be used as fuel or feedstock; it allows cleaner combustion and flexibility in application.
What is underground coal gasification? β A process of converting coal into gas while still underground, by injecting oxidants and extracting the resultant gas, reducing the need for coal mining and transport, but posing unique technical, environmental and monitoring challenges.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders:
Will the roadshows and consultations led by the Coal Ministry generate a robust policy and investment framework that can de-risk coal gasification projects and attract large-scale private participation by 2030?
Follow the full news here: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2171908