Coal India Limited is expanding beyond conventional coal mining. The company is building a diversified portfolio across energy, minerals and advanced technologies.
According to the Ministry of Coal, Coal India’s diversification strategy covers five key areas. These include coal gasification, thermal power, renewable energy, critical minerals and diversified minerals.
The company has four major coal-to-chemicals projects. Their combined estimated project cost is around ₹69,346 crore.
One project is Talcher Fertilizers Limited. It will produce 1.27 million tonnes of urea annually.
Another project is Bharat Coal Gasification & Chemicals Limited. It will produce 0.66 million tonnes of ammonium nitrate annually.
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Coal Gas India Limited is developing a synthetic natural gas project. Its planned capacity is 633.6 million Nm³ annually.
A similar coal-to-SNG project is being developed at Chandrapur. It is a joint initiative between CIL and BPCL.
Coal India is also expanding its renewable energy portfolio. The company has commissioned around 550 MW of solar capacity.
It is developing rooftop, ground-mounted and captive solar projects. It is also pursuing utility-scale renewable energy projects.
The company is entering battery energy storage as well. A Telangana project will have 187.5 MW/750 MWh capacity.
Coal India is also developing an 80 MW/320 MWh BESS portfolio in Odisha.
The company is exploring opportunities in critical minerals too. These include graphite, rare earth elements and other strategic minerals.
Coal India plans to develop an integrated graphite value chain. This could cover mining, processing and anode material production.
The company is also strengthening research and development. Its R&D portfolio currently includes 20 projects.
The approved outlay for these projects stands at ₹231 crore.
Coal India’s R&D focus includes artificial intelligence, smart mining and mine safety. It also covers renewable energy and mineral processing.
The Ministry of Coal said the company is focusing on technology validation and indigenous capabilities.
It is also using partnerships and joint ventures to access specialised technologies.
The broader objective is to support energy security and reduce import dependence. The company also aims to develop commercially sustainable new growth platforms.
