State-owned Coal India, the world’s largest coal mining firm, is looking to convert diesel-powered heavy mining equipment to run on LNG as part of a 5-year plan to slash emissions.
The firm has joined forces with India’s state-owned Gail, heavy equipment manufacturer BEML, and Cummins as it looks to convert its huge fleet of heavy machines to run on LNG, according to a statement by India’s coal ministry on Tuesday.
“This will be a major breakthrough in not only cutting down cost, but will also reduce carbon emissions,” the statement said.
Under the pilot project, GAIL will establish an LNG storage and dispensing system, arrange transport of LNG from terminals to Bharatpur mine site in Odisha, but it will also arrange retrofitting.
In addition, BEML will provide all technical assistance while Cummins will help monitor the performance of the engines during the pilot project.
Coal India aims to complete the pilot project by the end of this year.
The firm is working on a plan to “convert maximum heavy vehicles on LNG in the coming years.”
With this move and other initiatives, Coal India looks to offset 250,000t of carbon in the next five years, the statement said.