- Union Minister of State for Power and New & Renewable Energy, Shri R.K Singh, launched a Web based monitoring System and a Fly Ash mobile application named ASH TRACK on 9 February 2018.
- These platforms will enable better management of the ash produced by thermal power plants by providing an interface between fly ash producers (Thermal Power Plants) and potential ash users such as – road contractors, cement plants etc.
About the App
- The ASH TRACK App would be managing 200 million tonnes of fly ash by tracking coal based power plants situated within 100 km and 300 km from given location and availability of fly ash, along with prospective users within the same radius. The App gives plant-wise, utility-wise and State-wise ash utilization status in the country.
- The thermal plants would regularly update fly ash generation, utilization and stock on the web portal and the app. This would allow effective monitoring and reviewing for increasing ash utilization. This would also help in protecting environment in terms of reduction in fugitive emissions, saving of precious top soil and conservation of land for sustainable development.
Fly Ash and its Management
- Fly Ash is the end product of combustion during the process of power generation in the coal based thermal power plants.
- Quality-wise Indian coal has much more ash content than other countries.
- Proper management of fly ash is important for not only the environment but for human being also as the ash produced by the power plants occupies a lot of land space.
- Fly ash is a proven resource material for many applications of construction industries and currently is being utilized in manufacturing of Portland Cement, bricks/blocks/tiles manufacturing, road embankment construction and low lying area development, etc.
- At present, 63 per cent of the fly ash is being utilised and target is for 100 per cent utilisation of the fly ash. For this education and awareness generation is needed.
- As per Ministry of Environment and Forest & Climate Change (MOEF&CC), ash content of coal produced in the country is generally 25 to 45 % whereas average ash content of imported coal varies from 10 to 20 %.
- Higher ash content in Indian coal is due to drift theory of formation of coal deposits in India. Coal seams formed due to drift theory contains higher ash as compared to in-situ theory of formation.
Differences between in-situ theory and drift theory of coal formation
- In-situ theory of coal formation: As per this theory, the coal seams are observed where once forest grew. As the land was sinking slowly, the accumulated vegetation matters went under water slowly and did not decompose and destroyed. In the course of time, the rate of sinking of land was increased and coal forest was submerged under water. Again, land along with the coal forest emerged out of water after sufficient time and this cycle went on again and again, which is responsible of formation of coal strata and seams.
- Drift theory of coal formation: According to this theory, the plant material was transported with the stream of water from one place to another, and finally get deposited in a place of swamp having suitable condition like sediments. The coal seams of India are of drift origin.
