Latest news with #FlueGasDesulphurisation
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Smoke and sulphur: on sulphur dioxide emissions, public health
The axe has dropped. The Environment Ministry has exempted the majority of India's coal-fired plants from mandatorily installing Flue Gas Desulphurisation (FGD) systems, which are designed to cut sulphur dioxide (SO 2 ) emissions. In effect, this undermines its own mandate from 2015 that required all such plants — there are about 180 of them now, comprising 600 units — to install these systems. While these were expected to be in place by 2017, only about 8% of the units have actually installed FGD — nearly all by the public-sector National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC). SO 2 is among the gases monitored by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) as exposure beyond a degree can be harmful. Less appreciated is its propensity to form sulphates in the air and contributing to particulate matter pollution. In general, India's average ground-level SO 2 measurements have been below the permissible levels — one among several reasons that there has not been a sense of urgency in implementing FGD norms. The official reasons are the limited number of vendors in India, high installation costs, the potential rise in electricity bills, and disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While the latest deadlines flew by in 2024, the Environment's Ministry's decision — it follows consultations with scientific institutions and new commissioned studies — is a sharp disavowal of the current policy. An expert appraisal committee says that Indian coal is low in sulphur; SO 2 levels in cities near plants with operational FGD units do not differ significantly from those without these units, and all of these were anyway well below permissible levels. The committee had said that concerns about sulphates are unfounded. It also argued, echoed by the Minister for Power, that sulphates had a beneficial side-effect in suppressing warming from greenhouse gas emissions. Thus, reducing sulphates would actually worsen warming and compromise India's climate goals. While IPCC assessments do account for the heat-suppressing action of sulphates, nowhere is it projected as an unalloyed good. A minority of plants, about a fifth — those within a 10 km radius of the NCR; in cities with a population of over a million, or known to be in pollution hotspots — must install FGDs by 2028. This seems to suggest that what determines their installation is the location of a coal plant and not whether FGDs are effective or SO 2 is harmful. This is a rare instance when there are different environmental standards within India on controlling exposure to a pollutant. While it is not unscientific to revise understanding of the harms or benefits of substances, this needs debate in the public domain before a policy is changed. Otherwise it amounts to undermining India's commitment to scientifically informed public health.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
India Eases FGD Norms for Coal Power Plants to Cut Costs and Emissions, ET Infra
Advt Advt By , ETInfra The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change MoEF&CC ) has revised India's 2015 emission norms, dropping the blanket requirement for coal-fired power plants to install Flue Gas Desulphurisation (FGD) systems in a move that will save Indian households and industries some 25 to 30 paise per unit of will now be mandatory only for coal-fired power plants within 10 km of cities with population of over 1 million, plants in critically polluted or non-attainment areas and those using high-sulphur imported coal. All other plants, especially those using low-sulphur Indian coal, are is a system that removes sulphur dioxide (SO₂) from the smoke released by coal-fired power plants. While effective in high-sulphur conditions, it is expensive, water-intensive and adds carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions during installation and are useful in places with high sulphur coal (like in China or the US), high ambient SO₂ levels and dense urban decision follows a series of studies by IIT Delhi, CSIR-NEERI and the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), which found that ambient sulphur dioxide (SO₂) levels in most parts of India are well within the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). Measurements across multiple cities showed SO₂ levels ranging between 3 and 20 µg/m³, significantly below the NAAQS threshold of 80 µg/m³.The studies also questioned the environmental and economic efficacy of a universal FGD mandate in the Indian context. Indian coal typically has a sulphur content of less than 0.5 per cent , and due to high stack heights and favourable meteorological conditions, dispersion of SO₂ is NIAS study warned that retrofitting FGDs nationwide would add an estimated 69 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions between 2025 and 2030 due to increased limestone mining, transportation, and power carbon markets aim to incentivise generators that are reducing their carbon footprint and penalise those who are emitting the installation of FGD, India may be increasing its carbon footprint with a reduction in SO2 emission, which is not advisable as per the present ambient air quality levels, according to a report written by CSIR-NEERI with financial support from NITI SO₂ and CO₂ have different atmospheric lifetimes - SO₂ has a short atmospheric lifetime of several hours to about 15 days, while CO₂ persists for over 100 current cost of FGD systems is approximately Rs1.40 crore per MW. As per recent Central Electricity Authority (CEA) estimate, around Rs1,47,000 crores capital investment will be required for the installation of the remaining 105 GW coal-based power plants.'Now, it becomes imperative that the country make timely decisions so that consumers can be prevented from additional financial burdens. An appropriate decision may be taken by the concerned authority regarding the installation of FGDs in Thermal Power Plants (TPPs) considering that the ambient SO2 concentration is well below the prescribed limit,' the CSIR-NEERI report said.'If FGD retrofits raise CO₂ emissions, are we not choosing the lesser evil here by avoiding them where they are not needed,' said a power industry source.'Do we need to burden consumers with ₹2.5 lakh crore in unnecessary infrastructure when SO₂ levels are already well within limits,' he asked.'This is a smarter use of resources, focusing on particulate matter and grid upgrades instead of chasing a global fad,' he said, noting that Indian consumers are better off without the one-size-fits-all FGD Ministry's move is seen as a smart, science-led decision based on Indian coal chemistry and local air data. It avoids unnecessary CO₂ emissions from limestone use and auxiliary aligns with global best practices - even the US, EU and China have moved to targeted FGD deployment, not blanket mandates.'This is not a rollback. FGDs remain mandatory where necessary - near large urban populations or in heavily polluted areas,' the industry source said.'This is a good example of India taking sovereign control of environmental policy, instead of blindly following Western rules,' he added.
Time of India
30-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Ghatampur thermal power project a landmark achievement: PM
1 2 Kanpur: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday dedicated Unit-1 (660MW) of Ghatampur Thermal Power Project and termed it as a landmark achievement. The project is a flagship initiative by Neyveli Uttar Pradesh Power Ltd (NUPPL), a collaboration of NLC India Limited (51%) and UP Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited (UPRVUNL) (49%). Chairman, MD NUPPL Prasanna Kumar Motupalli stated that the project has three units of 660 MW each of which, the first operating unit, commissioned in Dec 2024, was dedicated on Friday. Remaining two units are likely to be commissioned by Dec 2025. The power purchase agreement (PPA) has been made for 1487.28 MW, i.e. 75.12% of the power generated with Uttar Pradesh and 492.72 MW, i.e. 24.88% with Assam subject to actual transfer of 20% equity share of UPRVUNL in NUPPL in favour of Assam govt. With advanced technologies like Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) and Flue Gas Desulphurisation (FGD) for reducing NOx and (SOx) emissions, respectively and zero liquid discharge (ZLD) system, the plant would play a significant role in power production in the state, he said. It also has sophisticated monitoring devices, including Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (AAQMS) and Continuous Emissions Monitoring Systems (CEMS), he added. CEO NUPPL S Durai Kumar and chief financial officer Ashok Kumar Mani were also present.
