NTPC Inks MoU with GE to Minimize Carbon Footprint of its Coal-Fired Power Plant

In the first-of-a-kind step for coal fleet decarbonization in the country, NTPC and GE Power India signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the feasibility to demonstrate technologies for reducing the carbon footprint via firing higher percentage of Torrefied Biomass in NTPC’s existing coal-fired power plants, Methanol Firing & Ammonia Firing.
 
Carbon reduction from coal power plants is a key challenge and co-firing of low-carbon fuel will facilitate the transition towards a low-carbon energy economy and subsequent to Net-Zero emissions.
 
Under the MoU, the two companies partner for research, development and engineering of technologies that will enable NTPC to reduce the amount of coal fired in their units and gradually replace it by co-firing alternative fuels in the boilers - both carboneous (methanol, carbon neutral fuel such as agricultural waste, biomass, etc.) and non-carboneous (such as ammonia).
 
Commenting on the partnership, Ujjwal Kanti Bhattacharya, Director Projects at NTPC Ltd, said, “we are looking forward to working with GE Power India Ltd as NTPC intends to minimize the carbon footprint of our 57+ GW coal-based units. We aim to decrease carbon footprint from our coal fired power plants by co-firing of alternative fuels such as carbon neutral fuel, Green Methanol and Green Ammonia. It will support our goal of reducing carbon emissions from our coal-based power generation, as part of NTPC’s The Brighter Plan 2032 that aims at setting new benchmarks in sustainability along the entire energy value chain in India.”
 
This will make use of the huge existing infrastructure and require less new investments as compared to other decarbonisation options.
 
As in India coal is the only widely available option for baseload power generation, it will help in reducing the carbon footprint of this source of reliable power, for decades in the future.
 
As a primary goal, the collaboration is to support NTPC in co-firing biomass pellets beyond 20 per cent and up to 100 per cent, as well as enabling the co-firing of methanol. It will also explore the possibility of introducing ammonia as a co-firing fuel, and develop, test and demonstrate technologies that allow a total co-firing with lower carbon fuels in coal-fired power plants.
 
“This MOU is in line with our country’s efforts to adopt advanced powering technology to decarbonize power generation. We are excited to partner with NTPC Limited on finding solutions to address carbon emissions, while ensuring efficient, reliable and affordable power generation. This is a huge stride in India’s energy transition journey as the country looks ahead to achieve its net-zero targets,” said Prashant Jain, MD, GE Power India and RGM, GE Steam Power.