US to help capture clean energy from Chhatisgarh coal mines

As part of cooperation with India in climate change strategy, the US will fund a feasibility study on capturing coal bed methane to produce clean energy from a mine block in Chhatisgarh.     

The feasibility study, to be taken up by a private firm, will be funded by the US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) aimed at setting up facilities for capturing CBM, commonly known as natural gas. The grants of $524,819 is meant to tap the opportunities in using technologies for capturing natural gas from the coal blocks.     

"The ...Project will demonstrate practical opportunities for the US and India in technical and business cooperation in reducing the release of potent greenhouse gases as India expands its domestic energy production," USTDA said.     

It said the US firms are the "leaders" in the application of clean energy technologies. The grants are the first step in providing the countries access to state-of-the-art equipment, technology.     

Growing at six-seven per cent, the Indian economy is hungry for energy from different sources. However, with growing pressure on the emerging economies to accept obligations for greenhouse gas reduction, the challenge for India is to meet its development needs in harmony with the climate.     

The project would support "recent US and Indian government commitments to cooperate on climate change strategies," the USTDA said.