Arlington, VA – Today, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency announced that it has approved grant funding for a feasibility study to support efforts by Prabha Energy Private Limited (PEPL) to develop a coal mine methane (CMM) recovery facility in the Jharia coalfield in eastern India. PEPL selected Virginia-based Advanced Resources International to carry out the study.

“USTDA is pleased to collaborate with PEPL on this project, which presents a tremendous opportunity to strengthen India’s energy resilience and sustainability using innovative technology that U.S. companies can readily provide,” said Enoh T. Ebong, USTDA’s Director “This project will prevent the direct release of methane, a harmful greenhouse gas, into the atmosphere. This will have a positive climate impact for India and the world.”

The USTDA-funded feasibility study will develop recommendations on how to extract, gather, compress, and process CMM at the Jharia site using innovative U.S. technologies and solutions. By capturing the CMM, the project has the dual benefit of preventing methane emissions and providing local industries a cleaner fuel alternative to coal.

“PEPL is pleased to partner with USTDA and ARI on the potential capture of methane gas from the Jharia coal mine in India,” said Prem Sawhney, CEO & Director of PEPL. “This project, which is the first of its kind in India, will increase India’s domestic gas resources while also creating avenues for U.S. equipment and technology suppliers.”

The study advances the goals of USTDA’s Global Partnership for Climate-Smart Infrastructure to support the use of U.S. technologies and services in overseas climate-smart infrastructure projects, as well as the U.S.-India Strategic Clean Energy Partnership’s Responsible Oil and Gas Pillar. The project also supports the Biden Administration’s commitment to the Global Methane Pledge to reduce global methane emissions and limit global warming.

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The U.S. Trade and Development Agency helps companies create U.S. jobs through the export of U.S. goods and services for priority infrastructure projects in emerging economies.  USTDA links U.S. businesses to export opportunities by funding project preparation and partnership building activities that develop sustainable infrastructure and foster economic growth in partner countries.

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