New Delhi: In a bid to reduce carbon footprint in its operational areas, state-run Coal India Ltd (CIL) has committed itself to achieving a carbon offset of over 60,000 tonnes by the year-end, an official statement released by the Ministry of Coal said on Tuesday. The coal miner has also drawn up an ambitious five-year plan, under which it has envisaged to create a carbon offset of around 2.5 lakh tonnes in the next five years.
CIL has put special thrust on energy efficiency measures and is forging ahead with a series of measures to offset carbon emission in mining operation in all its coal producing companies. "Apart from taking immediate action for efficient use of energy, CIL has also drawn an ambitious five-year plan of carbon offset in different fields of its operation," said the statement.
Coal companies have several areas for implementing energy efficiency measures such as colonies, buildings, offices, industrial establishments, etc apart from efficient power supply management. However, the major reduction in carbon emission comes from various mining activities like Heavy Earth Moving Machines (HEMM), Transport, Ventilation, Pumping etc. With the help of its subsidiaries, CIL had been taking various energy conservation and efficiency measures over the years and is now moving ahead with emphasis on activities responsible for more environment pollution.
The major thrust is on replacing the huge fleet of HEMM equipment running either by CIL departmentally or contractually on diesel consumption with LNG. "This will be a major breakthrough in not only cutting down cost, but will also reduce carbon emission," said the statement. CIL has taken initiatives to go for pilot project in collaboration with GAIL in some mine sites of CIL before starting bulk use of LNG. "GAIL will establish LNG storage and dispensing system, arrange transport of LNG from terminal to mine site and will arrange KIT and retrofitting. BEML will provide all technical assistance. The performance of dumper and engine will be monitored and studied during the entire pilot period in collaboration with Cummins. One of the pilot projects at Bharatpur Opencast Mine of Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd (MCL) in Odisha will be completed by the end of this year. A comprehensive model is being devised to convert maximum heavy vehicles on LNG in the coming years," said the ministry.
Pumping of water in both opencast and underground mines is done on a large scale through orthodox equipment which results in more energy consumption. CIL will be introducing around 1,700 energy efficient motors for pumps in all its mining operations.
Another important addition will be the introduction of around 1,500 E-vehicles (EVs) in all mining areas of CIL over a period of next five years. Around 200 E-vehicle alone will be put in operation by the end of this year.
In its various establishments, CIL will be replacing around 5,000 conventional ACs and other appliances by energy efficient star-rated appliances. Similarly, around 2.5 lakh LED lights will be introduced in place of conventional lights to save energy. More than 1 lakh energy efficient super fans will be used in offices by replacing old ones. In colonies, around 2,200 street lights will be put on auto timer to save energy.
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