India leads climate change battle with two world-first clean energy projects
India is leading the world in the fight against climate change with the opening of its two major clean energy projects in the southern state of Tamil Nadu – the world’s first large-scale unsubsidized carbon dioxide (CO2) conversion unit and the largest solar energy plant in the world.
A £3 million industrial plant situated in Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu, is converting the CO2 emissions from the coal-powered plant into baking soda that is used in the manufacturing of glass, detergents, sweeteners and paper products.
The plant is projected to save up to 60,000 tons of CO2 emissions every year in the atmosphere. The technology, developed by Carbon Clean Solutions, has managed to achieve this without any subsidy from the government and is a first in the world.
Ramachadran Gopalan, the owner of the chemicals plant, said their operation has now almost zero emissions. He hopes soon to install a second coal boiler to make more CO2 to synthesize fertilizer.
The chemical used in stripping the CO2 from the flue gas was invented by two young Indian chemists. They failed to raise Indian finance to develop it, but their firm, Carbon Clean Solutions, working with the Institute of Chemical Technology at Mumbai and Imperial College in London, got backing from the UK’s entrepreneur support scheme.
Their technique uses a form of salt to bond with CO2 molecules in the boiler chimney. The firm says it is more efficient than typical amine compounds used for the purpose.
They say it also needs less energy, produces less alkaline waste, and allows the use of a cheaper form of steel – all radically reducing the cost of the whole operation.
While the developers of the technology admit that this won’t save the planet single handedly, they report that it will serve to reduce 5-10% of the world’s emissions from coal.
Another clean energy achievement that the country has is the world’s largest solar energy plant in Kamuthi, Tamil Nadu. The project serves as a marker for India’s ambition for a rapid expansion in renewables.
The solar farm cost around US$679 million to build and took eight months to be completed. It has the capacity to generate 648 MW of green energy that can power up to 150,000 homes. It is a self-sustaining system, with robotic systems assuring that it’s cleaned every day.
Prime Minister Modi is offering subsidies for a plan to power 60 million homes with solar by 2022 and aims for 40% of its energy from renewables by 2030.