Schoolchildren perform at the inaugural session of the workshop in Ranchi on Tuesday. Picture by Hardeep Singh

Central Mine Planning and Design Institute (CMPDI)’s assessment reports and data bank on quantum of methane gas trapped in coal beds across Jharkhand for its commercial use as an alternative source of energy are in huge demand.

“The data dossiers prepared by us are being appreciated by concerned organisations. The reports contain technical details like quantity of coal and gas that could be tapped in the mines,” CMPDI chairman-cum-managing director A.K. Debnath said in the capital on Tuesday.

The Coal India Limited subsidiary, that has been working on tapping and utilising coal bed methane (CBM), is hosting a two-day international workshop on “development of coal-based non-conventional energy resources in India”, which started on its Kanke Road campus from Tuesday.

Debnath during the inaugural session told the delegates how CMPDI was working on development of CBM.

“We have successfully implemented and demonstrated a project at Moonidih mine in Jharia coalfield region. Three wells for producing gas was drilled. Methane was utilised for power generation and the generated electricity was supplied to mine colony,” Debnath added.

Union coal secretary S.K. Srivastava, the chief guest at the programme, was all praise for the research unit.

“Despite being one of the lowest energy consumers in the world, the country is facing shortage of energy. Hence, CMPDI’s contribution towards mitigation and gainful utilisation of this powerful greenhouse gas is laudable,” Srivastava observed.