CIL sharpens R&D focus, targets Rs 1,900 Cr investment by FY2030

New Delhi [India], June 30 (ANI): Coal India Limited is ramping up its research and development push to align with the changing energy landscape, with plans to invest about Rs 1,900 crore in R&D activities by FY2030., the company said in a press release.

The state-run miner’s R&D transformation gained pace in FY2024-25 with the launch of the National Centre for Coal and Energy Research (NaCCER). Since its establishment as a hub-and-spoke R&D centre, CIL has moved from proof-of-concept studies to prototype development at Technology Readiness Level-4 and above.

“We intend to shift R&D to a higher orbit to drive the company’s future growth and technological transformation,” a senior CIL official said.

R&D spending has jumped sharply.

CIL’s expenditure rose fourfold to Rs 245 crore in FY2024-25, from Rs 61 crore in FY2023-24. The Department of Public Enterprises mandates annual R&D spending averaging one per cent of profit before tax of the preceding three years. To support a structured innovation push, CIL has also framed a comprehensive R&D Policy.

To deepen industry-academia ties, CIL has set up three Centres of Excellence at premier IITs. These include the Centre of Clean Coal Energy and Net Zero (CLEANZ) in Hyderabad, the Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE) in Madras, and Innovation in Mining (IMiN) at IIT (ISM) Dhanbad. The three centres act as research spokes under NaCCER for pilot-scale research, prototype development, and technology validation. CIL has committed Rs 253 crore to these CoEs, to be released in phases.

Currently, 19 R&D projects worth Rs 225 crore are being executed by reputed scientific institutions under NaCCER’s direct oversight. Another 13 research projects focused on pilot-scale work and prototypes are underway at the CoEs.

The research agenda covers multiple strategic areas. CLEANZ is working on clean coal energy and net-zero technologies, including enhanced coal bed methane recovery, carbon capture, utilisation and storage, mineral beneficiation, recovery of rare earth elements and critical minerals, high-ash coal gasification, and syngas utilisation. CSE is focusing on sustainable materials, circular economy, mine repurposing, environmental remediation, feasibility of micro modular nuclear reactors, and advanced wastewater treatment. IMiN is building capacity through research fellowships and developing solutions for key mining challenges.

CIL has also tied up with global partners. It is working with Ergo Exergy, Canada, on the Underground Coal Gasification Project at ECL; with Ericsson, Sweden, for 5G deployment in the Jhanjra underground mine; and with CSIRO, Australia, to advance collaborative research. (ANI)

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