India has decided to revive its over-decade-old, $30 billion plan to install flue-gas desulphurization (FGD) systems in all its coal-fired power plants. A growing concern for the scheme’s financial and technical feasibility has prompted this revival amid limited progress since its conception. Only 8 percent of the 540 targeted units have implemented FGD successfully in their power plants. Such high installation costs, operating problems, and shutdown time have made it highly noncompliant.
The reevaluation fits with studies that challenge the need for FGDs in India. Indian coal, which accounts for 92% of the country’s thermal power, has a very low sulphur content—only 0.5% compared to higher global averages. Studies have shown that the air quality improvements offered by FGD systems in such a context are minimal, casting doubt on the program’s overall efficacy. Rather, policy focus is now on the matter of particulate pollution – far more pressing than what should be an environmental concern for public health in urban India.
The government has proposed a shift towards more economical local solutions, such as electrostatic precipitators, which are tailored to reduce particulate matter emissions from India’s high-ash coal. These systems are significantly cheaper, costing just one-fifth of what FGD installations require. The adaptation of such alternatives could alleviate economic pressures on power plants while addressing the primary sources of pollution more effectively.
The pressure to delay FGD deadlines until 2029 highlights the difficulties in achieving the original targets. FGD technology is expensive, at around $141,000 per megawatt, and requires plant shutdowns for up to 45 days. This not only affects power generation but also delays capacity expansions, exacerbating energy sector challenges in a country that relies heavily on coal. Experts point out that the focus now needs to shift from the sulphur dioxide reduction to dealing more directly with particulate matter and carbon emissions. R. Srikanth, head of engineering at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), was quoted saying, “There was really never any case for having FGDs in India… All our cities actually suffer from high particulate-matter pollution, not from sulphur dioxide pollution.”
Coal-based power plants continue to be a major source of India’s industrial emissions, which make up 80% of the sulphur and nitrogen pollutants. Environmentalists say the long-term health and climate goals are at risk from continued dependence on these energy sources that are heavy with CO2. IIT Delhi has put forth a report stating that technologies such as FGD and carbon capture should not be used to explain the persistence of coal-based energy production.
The stakes run high as India’s government consults stakeholders to finalize this policy shift. While power ministry has asked for the three-year extension for installation of FGD, activists have been asking for all-round reforms in the country shifting away from coal dependency. Meanwhile, trends around the world are changing when it comes to renewable energy investment, with the United States planning to retire coal plants and allocate billions to clean energy initiatives.
The decision to be taken by India’s policymakers will have long-term impacts on its energy future as it weighs economic, environmental, and public health factors. While the discussion goes on, the government has a crucial role to play in the way it integrates sustainable development goals into its energy strategies. A verdict is expected soon, marking another turning point in India’s management of its coal-based energy sector.