Around 7 pc of India's greenhouse gas emissions from industrial boilers: Report

Time of India

14-05-2025

Boilers in India's factories release 182 million tonnes of carbon dioxide every year, which is about 7 per cent of the country's total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and over a quarter of all emissions from industries, according to a new report published on Wednesday. The report also said these boilers emit more particulate matter (PM) and sulphur dioxide (SO2) than the entire automobile sector in India, primarily due to weak emission standards.
Industries such as food processing, chemicals and textiles depend on steam produced by process boilers to operate.
The findings were released at the 'National Conclave on Greening
Industrial Boilers
in India', organised by the environment think tank iFOREST, in partnership with the Central government's Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) and the labour department of the Uttar Pradesh government.
To reduce pollution and help India meet its net zero targets, iFOREST has suggested launching a "
Green Boiler Mission
" to promote cleaner energy sources.
There are around 45,200 process and co-generation boilers in India which produce around 1.26 billion tonnes of steam per year, said Chandra Bhushan, the CEO of iFOREST.
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Eight states account for two-thirds of these boilers. Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh are the top five. The average age of these boilers is 18 years and nearly 20 per cent are 25 years or older. This raises concerns about their safety and efficiency, the report said.
Bhushan said that PM emissions from these boilers add up to 5.2 million tonnes, more than what comes from the transport sectory.
Steam produced by boilers is responsible for 9 per cent of industrial PM, 8 per cent of SO2 and 17 per cent of nitrogen oxide emissions. Gujarat, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh are the tope three polluters.
The study found that about 40 per cent of the installed boiler capacity runs on fossil fuels like coal, gas or oil. These account for nearly 37 per cent of all boilers.
Biomass (including bagasse), though considered carbon-neutral, is used in nearly half of the steam capacity and also causes air pollution. Smaller boilers (up to 2 tonnes per hour capacity) are mostly powered by fossil fuels, especially coal.
Coal-fired boilers played a key role in sparking the industrial revolution in the 18th century, Bhushan said.
"The decarbonization of boilers is now essential to unleashing a new industrial revolution powered by cleaner, greener technologies. It is not just a climate imperative, it is also an economic opportunity to build a green economy and provide green jobs. We must launch a Green Boiler Mission to grab this opportunity," he added.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar said the report provides a clear path to reduce emissions while ensuring economic growth.
"With the right mix of targeted policies, technological shifts and government-industry collaboration, Uttar Pradesh can drive emissions reductions while enhancing energy efficiency, safety and industrial competitiveness," he said.