A tripartite MoU was signed on August 31 between coal mining major Coal India Ltd (CIL), state gas utiltity GAIL and Indian mining equpiment OEM BEML on 31 August 2021 for a pilot project on use of LNG as an alternative fuel for dual fuel (diesel – LNG) operation of dump trucks. With a view to reduce carbon emissions, the companies say they have initiated the process of fitting LNG conversion kits on two 100 ton class trucks at the Lakhanpur mine in Jharsuguda district, Odisha, part of Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd (MCL).
Shri Binay Dayal, Director Technical, Coal India signed the MoU on behalf of Coal India in the presence of Shri Pramod Agarwal, President, Coal India. Shri E S Ranganathan, Director (Marketing) GAIL and Shri MV Rajasekhar, Director Marketing & Manufacturing at BEML signed the agreement on behalf of GAIL and BEML respectively. CIL currently uses uses over 400 million litres of diesel per year so this will be a major step. If the pilot is a success the company says it will also look at using 100% LNG-powered equipment.
The move follows an announcement by Coal India earlier this year in which it stated its intention to convert its mining fleets to dual fuel operations. CIL’s diesel mining fleets number tens of thousands of trucks, shovels and other machines. That statement detailed that GAIL will establish an LNG storage & dispensing system, arrange transport of LNG from terminals to mine sites & will arrange kits and retrofitting. Indian mining truck major BEML will provide technical assistance while the performance of dumpers and engines will be monitored and studied during the entire pilot period in collaboration with global engine major Cummins.