Coal India (CIL) is retrofitting its diesel-engine trucks used in mines with liquefied natural gas (LNG) kits to cut its carbon footprint and save fuel costs.
CIL has over 2,500 dumpers running in its opencast coal mines. The use of LNG will cut diesel consumption by 30-40 percent and fuel costs by about 15 percent.
The company spends over USD 479 million annually using about 4,00,000 kilo ltr (3,35,600 tonne) of diesel in the dumpers -- big trucks that transport coal in mines.
Initially, CIL in partnership with gas importer GAIL (India) and engineering company BEML will retrofit LNG kits in its two 100 tonne dumpers operating at the subsidiary Mahanadi Coalfields (MCL).