NTPC starts capturing CO2 from flue gas stream at Vindhyachal plant

State-owned power giant NTPC on Friday said it has started capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) from the flue gas stream at its thermal plant in Vindhyachal.

"As part of its commitment towards Net Zero by 2070, NTPC Ltd, India's largest integrated power company has captured its first CO2 on 15th August 2022 from flue gas stream of 500 MW coal based power plant (Unit-13) at Vindhyachal Super Thermal Power Station (VSTPS)," a company statement said.

According to the statement, this plant is designed to capture 20 tonnes of CO2 every day. This initiative will pave the way for scaling up CO2 capture technology and greening the coal power generation.

At the same location, NTPC is also setting up a green hydrogen generation plant, which will use Proton Exchange Membrane Electrolyzers to produce 2 tonnes per day of hydrogen.

Subsequently, 20 tonnes per day of captured CO2 and 2 tonnes per day of hydrogen will be utilised to produce 10 tonnes per day of green methanol through a heterogeneous catalytic process.

The integrated CO2 to methanol project has been conceived, designed, engineered and awarded by the R&D wing of NTPC -- NTPC Energy Technology Research Alliance (NETRA) and executed by VSTPS Green Chemical Department in coordination with NETRA.

The total installed capacity of NTPC is 69,454 MW. It is also expanding its footprint in new business areas like green hydrogen, waste-to-energy and e-mobility.

India's largest power producer is aiming for a 10 per cent reduction in net energy intensity by 2032.

NTPC has become India's first energy company to declare its energy compact goals as part of the UN High-level Dialogue on Energy (HLDE).

Besides power generation, NTPC has diversified into producing energy through cleaner and greener sources, such as hydro, wind and solar. It also provides green hydrogen solutions.

The power major has also forayed into a variety of business areas, including fuel cells, e-mobility and waste-to-energy.