Futuregen projects commercial viability to be known only in 2020

Kolkata: The commercial viability and technical reliability of the US-sponsored Futuregen project, which is aimed at setting up zero emission coal-fired power plants and of which three Indian public sector energy companies, namely Coal India, NTPC and ONGC are partners will be known only in 2020 as the project is currently undergoing restructuring, according to Mr James L. Connaughton, Chairman of White House on Environment Quality.

Under the proposed restructuring, Mr Connaughton pointed out, there would be more reserves and greater international participation. Instead of earlier one-time funding to the tune of $2 billion, there would now be funding to the tune of $1 billion annually plus $9 billion worth of loan leverage. Also, instead of the earlier plant to set up one pilot plant by 2012, there would three to four commercial plants in addition to a dozen R&D plants across the world.

Mr Connaughton was replying to a query raised by Mr Partha S. Bhattacharyya, Chairman of Coal India Ltd, at an interactive session organised by the Indian Chamber of Commerce here on Tuesday.

Although Futuregen project was being discussed for a long time, Mr Bhattacharyya felt that not much progress had been made in this regard. He also wanted to know if carbon caption storage could be implemented in respect of existing plants.

He felt that the global clean energy technology and services were holding out big promise for commercial exploitation.

“It is a huge market which can be tapped profitably,” he said pointing out that US imported these technology and services from Canada, Japan and Europe just as it was in a position to offer basic technology, backed by funding support, for curbing pollution caused by cement, steel, coal-based power plants. India too had a lot of things to offer and pointed out that the country successfully implemented CNG in perhaps world’s largest number of cars.

“We have a shared vision about clean environment”, he said.

Mr Connaughton drew attention to a mega international convention to be held shortly with participation of G8, G5 and other countries, a total of 17, to discuss how to achieve sustainable development with lower emission. “These countries together account for the bulk of the world’s energy consumption and therefore emission,” he said.