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Coal, oil and gas
Coal, oil and gas: mining and imports, conversion such as coal gasification, thermal power, exploration, refining, strategic reserves, and the gas grid and its pricing. Prelims has asked what coal gasification can produce.
Showing 3 of 3 subjects, those that changed from 1 July to 15 September 2026.Show all
Coal gasification
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Coal gasification is thermochemical and not biochemical: no microbe is involved, only heat, pressure and a controlled shortage of oxygen. The scheme India is funding does this in a reactor above ground, not in the seam where the coal lies.
- Gasification is not low carbon, though the carbon dioxide it makes comes out concentrated and so is easier to capture than flue gas.
Coal or lignite
Domestic coal or lignite as feedstock
Surface gasification
Partial oxidation with oxygen and steam at high temperature and pressure
Syngas
Mainly carbon monoxide and hydrogen
Products
Synthetic natural gas, methanol, ammonia and urea, hydrogen, direct reduced iron
What changed
8 Sep 2026
8 Sep 2026
- The first round of the Scheme for Promotion of Surface Coal/Lignite Gasification Projects closed in September 2026 with seven applicants from the public and private sectors, NTPC among them.
- It aims at import substitution of liquefied natural gas (LNG), urea, ammonia and methanol.
Background reading: The Hindu, 5 Sep 2026: Coal Ministry rejects 'No Takers' claim, says TFL, NTPC apply for gasification scheme (opens in a new tab)
UPSC has asked
- Prelims 2025: what coal gasification technology can produce
Mine closure
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Scientific mine closure returns a worked out mine to farming, renewable energy or community use, paid for from a closure corpus held in escrow and governed by the Ministry of Coal's guidelines on progressive closure and monitoring after closure.
What changed
24 Jul 2026New subject
- The Ministry of Coal released AAROH, its first annual report on mine closure, documenting 42 mines closed scientifically and turned over to farming, renewable energy and community use.
- A ₹40,000 crore closure corpus earmarks a quarter for community development, and the 2025 guidelines require progressive closure, escrow accounts and monitoring after closure.
- An agreement with Germany's development agency GIZ covers technical cooperation.
Mains: a just transition in coal districts now has a named source of money and a rule book.
PIB, 24 Jul 2026: Scientific Mine Closure Strengthens India's Journey Towards Net Zero and Sustainable Development: Dr Jitendra Singh (opens in a new tab) · The Hindu, 29 Jul 2026: Mine closure opens opportunities in circular economy but requires coordinated efforts (opens in a new tab)
Coal in the power mix
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Coal and lignite supply about two thirds of India's electricity, and regulations require every coal unit to be able to run down to 40 per cent of capacity so that thermal output can fall when solar is high and rise after sunset.
What changed
20 Jul 2026New subject
- Coal and lignite capacity is about 230.8 GW and supplied 69.54 per cent of electricity between April and June 2026.
- Regulations of 2023 require every coal unit to be able to run down to 40 per cent of capacity, so that thermal output can fall when solar is high and rise after sunset.
- Also in news: a parliamentary panel asked for coal washeries at pitheads, since washing before transport cuts both ash and freight.
PIB, 20 Jul 2026: COAL AVAILABILITY FOR THERMAL PLANTS (opens in a new tab) · The Hindu, 30 Jul 2026: Parliamentary panel calls for upgrading coal washery infra (opens in a new tab)