From Capture to Value

Why CO₂ Utilization Must Anchor India's CCUS Strategy

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India's planned ₹38,900-₹39,000 crore carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) programme will begin with a six-year first phase targeting hard-to-abate sectors such as power, steel, and cement to meet 2070 net-zero goals. In this exclusive email interaction with TerraGreen, Mr Varun Puri, Managing Director at Green Power International, discusses the realism of timelines, the primacy of CO₂ utilization, policy enablers, and how CCUS can evolve from pilot projects to scalable industrial hubs in India.

Is a six-year first phase realistic for scaling up such high-cost technologies?

The six-year window for rolling out the first phase of the ₹39,000 crore carbon capture programme, expected to be proposed by the Government of India, is somewhat challenging but not impossible. Considering the scale of Indian industries, achieving a significant milestone is feasible if the focus remains on demonstration and cluster-scale projects rather than full-scale national deployment in the initial phase. Finding potential avenues to utilize this CO₂, such as making green hydrocarbon fuels, wherein the hydrogen is generated from renewable sources via electrolysis, should be prioritized. The real challenge lies in securing regulatory approvals, securing financing, and constructing CO₂ transport and storage infrastructure.

The real objective of CCUS is not only capturing carbon but also utilizing it the right way to add value, like turning emissions into fuels or materials that drive economic growth. Green Power International's project in NTPC Vindhyachal, the largest thermal power station in the country, is one fine example of how captured carbon can be utilized efficiently. We provided a 20 TPD CO₂ capture plant, which is used to make 10 TPD green methanol for commercial purposes. Actively utilizing the CO₂ through such processes minimizes the cost and needs associated with storage.