India seeks tie-up with France in clean coal technology

New Delhi (PTI): India and France can work together in the area of clean coal technologies as the two countries have joined hands for setting up nuclear power facilities, Minister of State for Power Jairam Ramesh said on Wedneday.

"Clean coal technology is another area where France and India can cooperate and certainly it has benefits to both sides like the partnership Areva now has with NPCIL," Ramesh said here at a FICCI meeting on cooperation in climate change with France.

India, which depends largely on coal-fired power generation, wants to shift to 'super critical technology' to drastically reduce carbon emissions.

The state-owned NTPC has begun the process of acquiring the key technology for its existing plants as also for using the new projects.

French firm Alstom is a global player in super critical clean technology. "Alstom is very closely involved in the energy sector. We are making transition to super critical technology in power generation and in that Alstom is going to play a very important role," Ramesh said.

He said Alstom already has a tie-up with Indian power equipment maker BHEL.