Coal India Commits $3 Billion To Clean Energy Projects
India-West News Desk
NEW DELHI – State-owned miner Coal India Ltd. announced on May 8 that it will invest approximately $3 billion in clean energy projects, marking a significant step in its efforts to decarbonize operations and support India’s broader climate goals.
The planned investment is part of Coal India’s strategy to diversify beyond coal, a fuel that remains central to India’s electricity generation but is also the largest contributor to its carbon emissions. The company aims to achieve net zero carbon emissions from its own operations, aligning with India’s national commitment to reach net zero by 2070.
The new clean energy portfolio will include solar and wind energy projects, with a specific focus on supplying power to the upcoming green ammonia production facilities of AM Green Ammonia (India). Coal India did not specify a timeline for the development of these projects.
AM Green, backed by the founders of India’s Greenko Group, has set an ambitious target of producing 5 million metric tons per annum (MTPA) of green ammonia by 2030. Green ammonia, produced using renewable energy sources, is considered a key fuel in decarbonizing heavy industry and global shipping.
The move comes as Coal India continues to expand its coal-based operations to meet the country’s surging energy demand, driven by rapid industrialization and increasingly extreme temperatures due to climate change. India currently relies on coal for the majority of its power, and the government plans to increase coal-fired capacity from 222 gigawatts to 302 GW by 2031–32.
At the same time, India is working to scale up its clean energy capacity to at least 500 GW by 2030, up from the current 172 GW, in a dual-track approach to meeting both energy security and climate commitments.
Coal India’s $3 billion clean energy initiative positions the company as a key player in this evolving energy landscape, balancing its legacy role in coal with growing involvement in the country’s transition to renewable energy.
