A study has recommended that India should not require all coal power plants to install Flue Gas Desulphurisation (FGD) systems.
Instead, only plants using imported or high-sulphur coal should be required to use FGD.
Though FGD installation was mandated in 2015 to cut sulphur dioxide (SO₂) emissions, only 8% of plants have complied.
Deadlines have been extended to as late as 2029, and many plants have yet to even place orders.
FGD is expensive — around ₹1.2 crore per megawatt — and would add to both electricity and freshwater usage.
Most Indian coal has low sulphur, and tall smokestacks plus weather conditions reduce SO₂ impact on air quality.
Studies suggest that SO₂ is not causing major problems like acid rain in India.
Additionally, cutting SO₂ could slightly increase global warming, since SO₂ emissions help cool the Earth slightly by reflecting sunlight.
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