There are no two opinions that economic growth and overall development of a country have a direct relation with the growth in the Energy Sector. As compared to the 16,066 kwh per capita consumption of power in the developed countries like USA, it is only 660 kwh in our country, which is clearly indicative of the fact that there is still a long way to go for the development of Energy Sector. However Government of India's has ambitious plan to have an installed capacity of 220,000 MW and 280,000 MW by the end of 11th Plan and 12th Plan respectively which will further increase the Coal ash. We have total installed capacity of 123,463 MW in that installed capacity of coal based power stations accounts for 68,308 MW- facts.
Fly ash generation, which tuned to 170 Million Tonnes by 2012 and with the present momentum of the capacity addition the numbers, will definitely increase. Current levels of efforts of ash utilization have resulted in achieving just 773.13 Million Tonnes by year ending 2012. It is an undisputed fact that coal ash is a good resource for improving the soil conditions for increased production of agricultural crops but efforts have to be made to accelerate the utilization of ash and for the same technical seminars/ round table meetings etc., are required to be conducted on a regular intervals with new technology and development in the field.
As per the notification issued by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India on 14.9.1999 read with amended notification dated 27.8.2003, 100% utilization of fly ash is required to be achieved by 2013-14. Hence, there is a need to chalk out a detailed road map for appropriate as well as constructive use of ash in various activities, including construction of low cost houses in rural as well as urban areas, cement manufacturing, construction of the national highway as well as roads and filling of the evacuated coal mine, agriculture etc. Our power plants have to come up with user friendly policies to make the resource easily available for every user. In addition to bulk consumers, small one time users are also required to be identified.
As a result of the concerted efforts made by power plants and with an active involvement of Ministry of Urban Development, Ministry of Coal, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Road transport and Highways, Ministry of Environment & Forests, State Governments our country was able to utilise only 55.79% ending the year 2011. Now the question is how our country is going to achieve 100% utilisation of total projected - approx 225 million-tonne fly ash generation by the current year 2013-14.
Fly Ash Utilization: 2013 (FAU:2013) is our 3rd Annual international summit organised by Mission Energy Foundation & Fly Ash Association of India (faai) in support of Ministry of Power, Environment & Forest. From succession of our past summits on the important subject, this year it will focus on the science, application and sustainability of coal ash. It will also provide a platform for creating greater awareness about new technologies and innovations in the use of fly ash creating an effective forum for transfer of information and new ideas to benefit the innovative utilization, handling, storage and disposal of Fly ash.
With greater emphasis on implementation of Gazette Notification on fly ash for various uses, this conference is extremely relevant and beneficial. The attendees include national and International wide representatives from academia, industry, Government & Policy makers. A good number of scientist, environmental, fly ash management companies from across the country have confirmed their participations. Experts have confirmed their participation and talk on issue of fly ash and slag management.
The major part of the conference is designed to have case-studies, techno-economic feasibilities, practical issues, impediments and their possible solutions to facilitate mining and power sector to harness the advantages of use of fly ash.
Senior bureaucrats, policy makers, technocrats, field engineers, planners, scientists, academicians, regulators and environmentalists would deliberate the issues thread ware.
The country's dependence on coal for power generation has not changed. Thus, fly ash management is a burning issue and a cause of concern for the future
