Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation Ltd. (GMDC), a Government of Gujarat enterprise, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with NTPC Limited, the Government of India’s Maharatna power major, to jointly explore opportunities in coal and lignite gasification along with downstream utilisation of syngas.
The strategic collaboration aims to assess the technical and commercial feasibility of gasifying coal from GMDC’s coal blocks in Odisha and lignite from its mining operations in Gujarat. The partnership is aligned with India’s broader push toward cleaner energy solutions and value-added utilisation of domestic fossil fuel resources.
Under the MoU framework, GMDC will undertake pilot initiatives covering both surface and underground coal and lignite gasification. These pilot projects are intended to evaluate technical feasibility, operational efficiency, and scalability potential before moving toward commercial deployment. The studies will help determine optimal process configurations and resource utilisation models.
NTPC will focus on evaluating end-use applications of the syngas produced from these gasification projects. The assessment will include techno-commercial viability, identification of market opportunities, and potential applications across relevant industrial sectors such as power generation, chemicals, and fertilisers. This step is crucial in establishing a sustainable demand ecosystem for syngas-based products.
Subject to successful pilot outcomes, both organisations plan to develop mutually agreed frameworks for joint production, marketing, and commercialisation of syngas. The companies will also work together on a structured and time-bound action plan to ensure systematic progress of the initiative.
In parallel, GMDC has already initiated preliminary assessments for downstream product commercialisation and marketing strategies. The company is in the process of engaging technical partners for conducting detailed feasibility studies. The MoU with NTPC is expected to complement these efforts by leveraging NTPC’s expertise in large-scale energy systems, engineering, and project execution.