Even if you are convinced, switching to green economy is a long drawn path. Protecting the plants and animals is necessary to preserve the fragile ecosystem and more so, for the sake of future generations. But to live in the present, to feed a billion population; it’s equally necessary to exploit the natural resources—when you have abundance of coal reserves. The problem is, while doing so, without any intention of causing harm; the process may emit green house gases and contribute silently to global warming.
The environmentalists might argue that eschew everything that causes any damage to the environment. After all, the damage you inflict on nature would return to you affecting your health—and raise your medical bills unnecessarily. It could be true in some cases, as many diseases are caused by pollution and destruction of environment. But then there’s also a generation, who grew up aspiring a Western mode of life style. They would prefer to live in a high energy consumption society and face all the consequences arising from it. How can they throw all the gadgets and live a life of happiness—perhaps, by embracing renewable energy.
The wheels of our lives are driven not by fate. The evolution of human mind and its corollary—science and technology—has made us believe that a major part of our lives run on electricity. Many would aver there’s no dearth of such a commodity. Only the source and perhaps, the ways to tap energy need to be changed. The green activists would point to a World Bank report, which says switching to renewable energy could be a solution to meet India’s rising demand-supply gap in power. It says India utilizes about 10 percent of its potential and close to 150 giga watt could further be harnessed from it.
But why dump coal when India has large coal reserves too. The commercial coal mining began some 220 years ago by Sumner and Heatly of East India Company in the Raniganj coalfield along the western bank of river Damodar. It is located now in West Bengal. The coal extracted from the mines fueled steam engines of the railways. The population at that time was less. So there was literally no noise when the people living in the area were displaced as the new regions in the belt were mined.
But times have changed. The population has grown many-fold times. The open cast mining method causes irreversible damage to the adjoining vegetation and makes the soil unsuitable for cultivation. It snatches not only the livelihoods of the local people, but their culture—and everything that they accumulated over the generations. The proponents of the green economy observe that a mine producing 40 million tonnes of coal in its lifetime of 15 years degrades close to 25 kms of the neighbouring vegetation.
The renewable energy is not only expensive, but also is not free from glitches, say the analysts. Till it refines its production and distribution, and wins the trust of consumers as a reliable source of energy, it can be an add-on source of energy. Meanwhile, the coal which feeds thermal power plants could be extracted through underground coal gasification (UCG) method. It is not only environment-friendly, but also suitable for high moisture content Indian coal. Infraline Energy Research & Information Services’ report—Underground Coal Gassification in India: An alternative and viable option—discusses how it could be implemented in India. “UCG is re-evolving across the globe as a technology to replace the conventional mining methods. The process reduces the emission of greenhouse gases, and leaves residual-ash and rock inside. In addition, it is the only method to exploit the un-mineable coal reserves in the country.”
The environmentalists might argue that eschew everything that causes any damage to the environment. After all, the damage you inflict on nature would return to you affecting your health—and raise your medical bills unnecessarily. It could be true in some cases, as many diseases are caused by pollution and destruction of environment. But then there’s also a generation, who grew up aspiring a Western mode of life style. They would prefer to live in a high energy consumption society and face all the consequences arising from it. How can they throw all the gadgets and live a life of happiness—perhaps, by embracing renewable energy.
The wheels of our lives are driven not by fate. The evolution of human mind and its corollary—science and technology—has made us believe that a major part of our lives run on electricity. Many would aver there’s no dearth of such a commodity. Only the source and perhaps, the ways to tap energy need to be changed. The green activists would point to a World Bank report, which says switching to renewable energy could be a solution to meet India’s rising demand-supply gap in power. It says India utilizes about 10 percent of its potential and close to 150 giga watt could further be harnessed from it.
But why dump coal when India has large coal reserves too. The commercial coal mining began some 220 years ago by Sumner and Heatly of East India Company in the Raniganj coalfield along the western bank of river Damodar. It is located now in West Bengal. The coal extracted from the mines fueled steam engines of the railways. The population at that time was less. So there was literally no noise when the people living in the area were displaced as the new regions in the belt were mined.
But times have changed. The population has grown many-fold times. The open cast mining method causes irreversible damage to the adjoining vegetation and makes the soil unsuitable for cultivation. It snatches not only the livelihoods of the local people, but their culture—and everything that they accumulated over the generations. The proponents of the green economy observe that a mine producing 40 million tonnes of coal in its lifetime of 15 years degrades close to 25 kms of the neighbouring vegetation.
The renewable energy is not only expensive, but also is not free from glitches, say the analysts. Till it refines its production and distribution, and wins the trust of consumers as a reliable source of energy, it can be an add-on source of energy. Meanwhile, the coal which feeds thermal power plants could be extracted through underground coal gasification (UCG) method. It is not only environment-friendly, but also suitable for high moisture content Indian coal. Infraline Energy Research & Information Services’ report—Underground Coal Gassification in India: An alternative and viable option—discusses how it could be implemented in India. “UCG is re-evolving across the globe as a technology to replace the conventional mining methods. The process reduces the emission of greenhouse gases, and leaves residual-ash and rock inside. In addition, it is the only method to exploit the un-mineable coal reserves in the country.”
well said Mr Sen,
ReplyDeletewe have to exploit coal as in near future we have no other sources, which can meet our huge requirement. With the nuclear disaster in Japan, the dependence on coal is set to rise but in the mean time we need to focus on clean coal technologies for environment sustainability and UCG is no doubt a viable and a ood option.