Partnering for a Cleaner Future: IICT and BHEL Join Forces to Develop CO2 Conversion Technology

The Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT) has partnered with Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), a central public sector undertaking, to develop indigenous technology for capturing and converting CO2 to di-methyl ether (DME). This collaboration will help India in achieving its mitigation goals under the Paris Agreement on climate change by producing a cleaner fuel that can be blended with LPG.

The partnership between CSIR-IICT and BHEL aims to deploy Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) technologies in sectors like coal gasification, which are difficult to transition to cleaner practices. The goal is for India to reach net-zero emissions by 2070. IICT, an institution under the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR), signed the MoU with BHEL in Hyderabad.

India’s Coal Gasification Mission is working towards gasifying 100 million tonnes of coal by 2030 through surface coal/lignite gasification projects. To support this mission, the Union cabinet approved a scheme in January to promote coal/lignite gasification projects by both PSUs and the private sector with an outlay of Rs 8,500 crore. The scheme aims to showcase the financial and technical feasibility of gasification projects, stimulate demand for downstream products, and create additional value chains in the economy derived from coal.

Coal gasification is a process that produces syngas from coal, water, and air. The gas produced can be converted into transportation fuels and hydrogen, which will help meet India’s energy needs. IICT will work with BHEL to develop new CCU technologies that can capture CO2 emissions from these processes and convert them into DME or other useful chemicals. This will not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions but also create new business opportunities for both organizations.