India’s largest power producer, NTPC Ltd., has reached a significant milestone in its carbon capture efforts by producing the first drop of methanol using captured carbon dioxide at its 500 MW coal-fired Unit-13 in Vindhyachal, Madhya Pradesh.
The achievement comes after two years of successful operation of NTPC’s pilot carbon capture project, which uses Carbon Clean’s CaptureX semi-modular technology to extract CO₂ from flue gas. The CO₂ was then hydrogenated using green hydrogen to produce methanol, a key feedstock for the chemical and energy industries.
NTPC’s research arm executed the project, NTPC Energy Technology Research Alliance, under a licensing agreement with Carbon Clean’s Indian subsidiary, Carboncapture Technologies Pvt. Ltd. It demonstrates that CO₂ can be reliably captured and converted into a valuable fuel at industrial scale.
Strengthening India’s Decarbonization Drive
Designed to capture 20 tonnes of CO₂ per day, the system supports NTPC’s broader decarbonization strategy. By transforming waste emissions into usable methanol, NTPC aims to reduce its carbon footprint while creating new business opportunities in the emerging green economy.
“This project validates the potential for large-scale carbon capture and utilization in India,” NTPC said in a statement. “It reinforces our commitment to developing sustainable technologies for the future.”
UK-India Collaboration in Focus
The milestone coincides with Carbon Clean’s participation in the UK Prime Minister’s first major trade mission to India. The visit builds on the UK-India trade deal signed in July and highlights expanding cooperation in clean energy, industrial decarbonization and sustainable investment.
Aniruddha Sharma, chair and CEO of Carbon Clean, said the achievement exemplifies how cross-border collaboration can accelerate climate innovation. “The partnership between the UK and India is crucial to scaling industrial decarbonization,” Sharma said. “The Vindhyachal project shows how collaboration can turn ambition into action.”
Expanding Industrial Applications
Following the success of the Vindhyachal initiative, NTPC has selected Carbon Clean’s technology for a larger 25-tonne-per-day CO₂ capture project at its Simhadri power plant. The captured carbon will be used to produce ethanol, further diversifying NTPC’s clean fuel portfolio.
“These projects show how waste CO₂ can be transformed into valuable low-carbon products,” Sharma said. “They also confirm the robustness of our technology under real industrial conditions.”
Innovation and Efficiency at Scale
Carbon Clean’s modular capture systems are designed for flue gases containing between 3 and 25 percent CO₂ by volume. The technology delivers over 99 percent pure CO₂, ready for reuse, resale or storage. Its proprietary solvent and advanced heat integration systems reduce infrastructure needs and cut costs, enabling faster deployment.
The milestone also follows Carbon Clean’s launch of its global innovation center in India three months ago, which will drive research and development of next-generation carbon capture technologies.
Setting the Stage for India’s CCUS Mission
As India prepares to roll out a national carbon capture, utilization and storage mission, the success at Vindhyachal highlights how industrial-scale innovation can support the country’s climate goals while sustaining energy growth.
The collaboration between NTPC and Carbon Clean highlights India’s growing leadership in carbon capture technology and strengthens its position as a key player in the global clean energy transition.
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