UCG offers significant environmental and operational benefits.

The Government has constituted a committee to review mining plan guidelines and integrate Underground Coal Gasification (UCG)-specific provisions to streamline approvals and incorporate it in the next round of coal mine auctions.

As part of its action plan to promote coal gasification, the Ministry of Coal has undertaken stakeholder consultations with state governments, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Directorate General of Mines Safety and the Central Ground Water Board to ensure that safety standards are well understood and effectively implemented.

UCG gasifies deep, unmineable coal seams in-situ using oxidants such as air, oxygen or steam. Hydrogen from UCG can power clean fuel and hydrogen economy initiatives, while syngas and value added products can be generated through partial oxidation of CO and H₂.

Operational benefits

UCG offers significant environmental and operational benefits. They exploit deep seated unmineable seams with minimal surface disturbance, less water usage than conventional coal processes and enable the production of cleaner fuels such as methanol, dimethyl ether and synthetic natural gas.

The Ministry of Coal hosted a high-level Roadshow on Coal Gasification- Surface and Underground Technologies in Mumbai on Friday, bringing together policy makers, industry leaders, investors, technology providers and other key stakeholders to accelerate India’s shift towards cleaner and more efficient use of coal.

The programme showcased how coal gasification can transform the nation’s vast coal reserves into sustainable sources of energy and chemical feedstock, reduce import dependence and open up new avenues of economic growth. FICCI was the industry partner for the roadshow.

Rupinder Brar, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Coal said while coal will continue to meet its growing energy needs for driving economic growth and national development, coal gasification is being positioned as a central pillar of energy transition and industrial expansion.

Coal gasification provides an environmentally friendlier way to utilise domestic coal reserves while producing clean fuels, chemicals, fertilisers and other value-added products essential for national self-reliance — a pathway that also symbolises “giving back to Mother Earth” by reducing the ecological footprint of coal use.

Brar called for scaling up indigenous technologies, strengthening research and development, fostering innovation, forging partnerships with private players to attract significant investments and evolving suitable business models to ensure the viability and long-term sustainability of gasification ventures.

A detailed presentation on coal gasification, highlighting its benefits, key enablers and proposed methodology, was showcased during the roadshow, underscoring its role in driving cleaner energy and industrial growth. It was explained that coal gasification converts coal into a synthetic gas (syngas) containing hydrogen (H₂), carbon monoxide (CO), methane (CH₄) and carbon dioxide (CO₂). This syngas can be used to generate electricity, produce fertilizers and chemicals, and serve as feedstock for hydrogen.

Published on September 12, 2025