STAFF REPORT LHR: Whike rejecting the Thar Coal Underground Gasification project, Punjab University Center for Coal Technology Director Prof Dr Shahid Munir has stressed that open pit mining is the right strategy to utilize Thar Coal. He proved with facts and figures that it is not technically and economically feasible.
He said this while addressing UK-Pakistan Coal Conference UK PKCC-2012 recently held at University of Leeds, UK.
A large number of delegates from Pakistan participated in the conference. The focus of the conference was the utilization of Pakistan coal for power generation.
Moreover, he said that the Underground Coal Gasification is not a commercial technology and not even a single MW is being generated through Underground Coal Gasification anywhere in the world. according to him, a low calorific value gas with high vapors and pollutants as a result of underground coal gasification will be obtained that cannot be linked with the national grid neither suitable for power generation at all.
He further said that Pakistan should pursue proven and tested technologies like open pit mining. He presented his research paper on The Utilization of Sugarcane Biogases and Secondary Fuel in large Scale Combustion system for power generation.