Why in the news?
The Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of India’s first commercial-scale Coal-to-Ammonium Nitrate Project at Lakhanpur, Jharsuguda district, Odisha. The project, worth ₹25,016 crore, is a major step towards energy security, import substitution, and industrial self-reliance.
Coal Gasification
- A process that converts coal into Synthesis Gas (Syngas), mainly consisting of carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen (H₂).
- Syngas can be used to produce Methanol, Urea, Ammonia, Ammonium Nitrate, Synthetic Natural Gas (SNG), Other chemical feedstocks
Lakhanpur Project
- India’s first commercial-scale Coal-to-Ammonium Nitrate facility.
- Developed by Bharat Coal Gasification and Chemicals Limited, a joint venture of Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited and Coal India Limited.
- Located on about 350 acres under Mahanadi Coalfields Limited land.
- Capacity: 2,000 tonnes/day of Ammonium Nitrate.
- Uses indigenous coal gasification technology developed by BHEL.
- Receives ₹1,350 crore support under the Coal Ministry’s incentive scheme.
Significance
- Reduces dependence on imported natural gas, ammonia, methanol, and chemicals.
- Supports Aatmanirbhar Bharat and domestic manufacturing.
- Enhances value addition to India’s vast coal reserves (>400 billion tonnes).
- Expected to boost downstream chemical and fertilizer industries.
[2025] Consider the following substances:
I. Ethanol
II. Nitroglycerine
III. Urea
Coal gasification technology can be used in the production of how many of them?
[A] Only one
[B] Only two
[C] All the three
[D] None