Urban Development Minister Manohar Lal Inspects Torrefied Charcoal Plant

New Delhi, February 14 – The Ministry of Urban Development is integrating waste management with national progress. Taking a step towards green energy, NTPC inaugurated a torrefied charcoal plant in Varanasi. The green coal produced in this plant is being used by NTPC for power generation and other activities.

On Friday, Union Minister for Power, Housing, and Urban Development, Manohar Lal, visited Varanasi to inspect the NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam Limited’s torrefied charcoal plant. This facility is designed to convert 600 tons of solid waste into charcoal daily. This is India’s first indigenously developed technology, which is more environmentally friendly than combustion and transforms waste into high-calorific-value fuel that can be co-fired with coal.

The Union Minister stated that under the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a developed India, the country’s first green coal plant was launched. The bio-coal produced at this plant is considered a sustainable alternative to traditional coal, which contributes to pollution. Plans are underway to establish similar initiatives in other parts of the country.

He further highlighted that this initiative is a commendable step in eliminating garbage heaps in Varanasi and advancing the Swachh Bharat Mission. The green coal produced at this plant is already being utilized by NTPC for power generation.

During the inspection, the minister carefully examined the entire process of converting waste into coal. The process begins with cranes placing waste into hoppers. The moisture content in the waste is reduced through preheating, followed by a ballistic separator that removes soil, iron, copper, and other materials. After segregation, the waste undergoes the Refused Derived Fuel (RDF) process, transforming it into a powdered form. The waste is then subjected to thermal treatment at 250–300°C, converting it into small black ash-like particles with coal-like properties. After sieving and purification, the charcoal is mixed with a small amount of binder and water before being dried, resulting in the final green coal product.