NTPC & EIL Forge India's Gas Future with Coal-to-SNG Innovation

NTPC Limited, India’s largest power utility, has signed an agreement with Engineers India Limited (EIL) to develop a Coal-to-Synthetic Natural Gas (SNG) facility, supporting grid stability and accelerating the nation’s clean energy transition.

The proposed plant will utilise high-ash Indian coal from NTPC’s captive mines to produce SNG—a cleaner fuel alternative for its gas-based power plants and in-situ power generation. The initiative aligns with the Government of India’s coal gasification programme, which aims to curb dependence on imported fuels and reduce carbon emissions. A Cabinet-approved ₹8,500-crore coal gasification scheme and a Request for Proposal (RFP) were launched last year to encourage private participation in the sector.

NTPC’s R&D arm, NETRA, is spearheading the company’s “Greening the Coal” mission by advancing technologies in carbon capture and utilisation (CCU). The company currently has an installed capacity of 84 GW, with 30.9 GW under construction, including 13.3 GW from renewable sources, and targets 60 GW of renewables by 2032.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.