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UN certifies Adani's Mundra unit as first global project under CDM

Virendra Pandit

Ahmedabad, Jan. 21

The United Nations Framework for Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has certified the coal-based thermal power project of Adani Power Ltd (APL) at Mundra, Gujarat, as the first Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) project in the world.

APL's first super-critical technology-based upcoming project at Mundra has got this distinction from the UN body authorised under the Kyoto Protocol to register such projects after elaborate and stringent scrutiny.

Currently, APL is setting up 9,240 MW thermal power generation capacity, including 4,620 MW at Mundra, 3,300 MW at Tiroda (Maharashtra) and 1,320 MW at Kawai (Rajasthan). Out of the total 9,240 MW capacity, more than 85 per cent is based on environment friendly super-critical technology.

The first two super-critical units of 660 MW each at Mundra, which are expected to be commissioned in 2010-11, have received this distinction, a company spokesman said.

At present, sub-critical coal-fired power generation is the commonly used technology with no super-critical or advanced super-critical plants in operation in India. Super-critical coal-fired power plants are highly efficient compared to sub-critical ones.

Enhanced plant efficiency reduces emissions of carbon dioxide and other pollutants by consuming less fuel per unit of electricity generated. The efficiency improvements and thereby, reduction in carbon dioxide Green House Gas (GHG) using super-critical technology leads to registration of such thermal power projects as CDM projects and earning of Certified Emission Reductions (CERs) under the Kyoto Protocol.

During the 51st executive board meeting of UNFCCC held at Copenhagen, Denmark, between November 30 and December 4, 2009, the committee members had reviewed the submissions made by APL, before approving this project as CDM project.

According to the calculations made in line with the guidelines of the UNFCCC under the ACM013 methodology applicable to this project, Mundra 2x660 MW TPP will be eligible to generate 18,39,560 CER per annum for 10 years from the first year of generation.

Commenting on this achievement, Mr Gautam Adani, Chairman, Adani Group, said the project has been accredited at a time when the concept of growth with clean technology is yet evolving. “We currently have a total of over 9,000 MW under implementation, of which almost 8,000 MW is super-critical technology-based.”

APL's first unit of sub-critical 330 MW was commissioned in mid-2009 and the second one, also of 330 MW, is likely to be started this month.