NTPC, the largest power generating utility in India, and GE Power India announced a partnership for feasibility to demonstrate technologies to reduce the carbon footprint of NTPC’s existing coal fired power plants.
NTPC aims to reduce the amount of coal fired in their units and replace it by co-firing of alternate fuel in boiler – both carboneous (methanol, Carbon neutral fuel- agri-waste, biomass, etc) and non-carboneous (such as ammonia ). This will make use of huge existing infrastructure and less new investment will not be required as compared to other decarbonisation options.
As a primary goal, the collaboration is to support NTPC in co-firing of biomass pellets beyond 20 percent and up to 100 percent, as well as enabling the co-firing of methanol. It will also explore the possibility of introducing ammonia as a co-firing fuel, and also develop, test and demonstrate technologies that allow a total co-firing with lower carbon fuels in coal fired power plants.
Ujjwal Kanti Bhattacharya, Director Projects, NTPC said: “We intend 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 fuel 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.”