Coal Mining in India
Coal Mining in India and Its Carbon Footprints
Coal mining is a significant industry in India, providing a major source of energy and employment. However, it also has considerable environmental impacts, particularly in terms of carbon emissions.
India is one of the largest producers of coal in the world, and the mining process releases a substantial amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) and Methane(CH4) into the atmosphere. This contributes to the country's overall carbon footprint, exacerbating climate change and air pollution.
Efforts are being made to reduce the carbon footprint of coal mining through various means, such as adopting cleaner technologies and improving energy efficiency. However, the challenge remains significant due to the scale of coal consumption and the reliance on this fossil fuel for energy needs.
Coal mining produces significant amounts of CO2 and methane through various sources:
Fugitive Emissions: Methane is released from coal seams and surrounding rock strata during mining operations.
Machinery: Heavy machinery used in mining operations emits CO2 from burning diesel fuel.
Explosives: Blasting operations release CO2 and other gases into the atmosphere.
Electricity: The use of electricity to power mining equipment and facilities contributes to CO2 emissions, especially if the electricity is generated from fossil fuels.
Introducing our project Vatavaran a web application specifically designed for Indian coal mines to measure their carbon footprint and explore ways to achieve carbon neutrality.
to be continuted…
Editors: Rudransh Shrivastava, Sanskriti Gupta