Key Quantitative Figures

  • Total planned R&D investment: ₹1,900 Crores by FY2030
  • FY 2024-25 R&D expenditure: ₹245 Crores (four-fold increase from previous year)
  • FY 2023-24 R&D expenditure: ₹61 Crore
  • Commitment to Centers of Excellence: ₹253 crore (to be released in phases)
  • Current R&D projects: 19 projects with total outlay of ₹225 crore
  • Pilot-scale research projects: 13 projects underway

Strategic Initiatives and Timeline

  • Established National Centre for Coal and Energy Research (NaCCER) in FY 2024-25 using hub-and-spoke model
  • Shifted R&D focus from proof-of-concept studies to prototype development (Technology Readiness Level TRL-4 and above)
  • Formulated comprehensive R&D Policy for structured innovation framework
  • Department of Public Enterprises mandates annual R&D expenditure averaging one percent of the Profit Before Tax of preceding three years

Centers of Excellence Established

  • Centre of Clean Coal Energy and Net Zero (CLEANZ) at IIT Hyderabad
  • Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE) at IIT Madras
  • Innovation in Mining (IMiN) at IIT (ISM) Dhanbad
  • These centers function as research spokes under NaCCER, undertaking pilot-scale research, prototype development, and technology validation

Research Portfolio Details

CLEANZ Research Areas: Enhanced coal bed methane recovery, carbon capture utilisation and storage, mineral beneficiation, recovery of rare earth elements and critical minerals, high-ash coal gasification, and syngas utilisation

CSE Research Areas: Sustainable materials, circular economy, mine repurposing, environmental remediation, feasibility assessment of micro modular nuclear reactors, and advanced wastewater treatment technologies

IMiN Focus: Capacity building through research fellowships and developing solutions to mutually identified mining challenges

International Collaborations

  • Ergo Exergy, Canada: Underground Coal Gasification Project at ECL
  • Ericsson, Sweden: Implementation of 5G technologies in Jhanjra underground mine
  • CSIRO, Australia: Advance collaborative research

Management Commentary

A senior CIL official stated: "We intend to shift R&D to a higher orbit to drive the company's future growth and technological transformation."