Gainwell Engineering partners with World Coal Association to promote sustainable coal mining in India

Gainwell Engineering partners with World Coal Association to promote sustainable coal mining in India

 

Kolkata, April 28, 2022: Gainwell Engineering, the manufacturing venture of Gainwell Commosales Private Limited (formerly Tractors India Private Limited), has partnered with World Coal Association to promote sustainable coal mining in India. With this Gainwell becomes only the second organisation in India to have partnered with World Coal Association.

According to the Economic Survey 2021-22, Coal demand in India is projected in the range of 1.3-1.5 billion tonnes by 2030, an increase of 63% from current demand. The partnership is also aimed at reducing India's dependency on import of coal mining equipment and instead, manufacture state of the art equipment locally to augment domestic production of coal in a sustainable manner. This will also help India reduce coal import bill and enable it to meet its energy security.

Coming from the stable of Gainwell Commosales which has a rich legacy of supporting infrastructural progress in India for nearly eight decades and the proud partner of Caterpillar Construction, Mining and Power Solutions in India, Gainwell Engineering has forayed into Coal Mining Equipment Manufacturing and is setting up a plant at Panagarh, West Bengal. With a philosophy of supporting India’s true infrastructural growth, Gainwell Engineering aims to end India’s dependence on imported equipment for underground mining, and leave a sustainable impact on the environment with the use of clean technology.

Coal still remains the largest source of energy in the world and sustainable coal mining in India is the need of the hour. Commenting on the association, Ms. Michelle Manook, CEO, World Coal Association said “It is critical that countries like India and companies like Gainwell Engineering are leading the discussion on coal’s sustainable journey. We welcome the Gainwell Engineering management team who understand that as a cohesive coal value chain across multiple jurisdictions (including Australia, China, Russia, South Africa, United States), we will have the best chance to deliver on our global community’s collective economic development and environmental goals. For countries such as India, these ambitions are not mutually exclusive.”

Welcoming the WCA membership, Mr. Sunil Chaturvedi, Chairman, Gainwell Engineering said “While concerns over climate change and air pollution have highlighted the need to pursue a more sustainable path forward, no discussion of global climate change can ignore India, and no discussion of India’s energy future can ignore coal.

Coal remains the mainstay of energy security for India, but the country so far was entirely dependent on imported underground mining machinery for expanding its underground mining operations, especially coal. With our state-of-the-art manufacturing facility at Panagarh in West Bengal rapidly coming up, Gainwell Engineering will help India and other global geographies, not only mine their underground mineral resources far more sustainably but will also represent the end of India’s dependence on imported equipment for underground mining.”

World Coal Association endorses Responsible Coal Principles under the climate change situation which are grounded by the principles of the Paris Agreement and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Gainwell Engineering joining WCA gives impetus to India’s coal leadership.

The confluence of recent global energy events have ushered in a “new reality” that places issues of supply security and affordability back in the spotlight. 

• According to the data released by the Ministry of Power, Coal contributes to 51.6% of installed generation capacity in India’s energy mix; while hydropower, solar, wind, etc. contribute 38.5%.
• Also, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), Coal is still the world’s largest, single source of electricity, powering 39% of the global electricity mix.  
• In 2021, as per IEA, coal generation reached an all-time high at over 10 000 terawatt-hours (TWh). In industrial processes, coal demand rose 6% reaching close to the record levels of 2013 and 2014.

Climate Change and Air Pollution have been the areas of concern for many years now. Indian Govt. has announced an investment plan of $55Billion in clean coal over the coming decade, putting India at the forefront of the Coal industry at large.

Ms. Manook said “WCA applauds India’s position towards the issue of phasing down of unabated coal as against phasing-out coal. Coal is still world’s largest source of energy. Recent and current events reconfirm that coal is still needed and not in decline. Coal is not disappearing; it is simply transitioning to a more sustainable model. Every member of the coal value chain in every country can do something directly and/or indirectly to support the evolution of coal through clean technologies. We are all part of the solution.”

Gainwell Engineering and World Coal Association believes, India has already made a positive impact in resetting the climate change agenda and it has the capacity to truly revolutionise coal’s future.

ABOUT GAINWELL ENGINEERING PRIVATE LIMITED

Gainwell Engineering represents the best in designing, manufacturing, marketing, and maintaining underground Room & Pillar equipment and Highwall Miner, for the global customer base. The company will also offer products and services related to railways and defence sector. With a vision of becoming a globally recognized, technology-driven manufacturing leader, Gainwell Engineering develops and manufactures innovative, safe, and sustainable equipment to unlock essential resources and meet the growing demands for infrastructure investments in the mining, railways, and defence sectors. The manufacturing business headquarters of the company is based in Kolkata, India, while the global business is managed through Gainwell Engineering Global Pte. Ltd., Singapore. Gainwell Engineering operates through a global network of sales offices, parts warehouses and service rebuild centres in key mining regions around the world and extends exceptional value to all its customers. Gainwell Engineering envisions to drive sustainable progress, helping the customers Gain a better tomorrow.

ABOUT WORLD COAL ASSOCIATION

The WCA represents industry leaders, committed to building a sustainable future for global coal and plays an active role in achieving our worldwide economic and environmental aspirations for clean coal usage, technology, and innovation. Our global members seek to promote collaboration, demonstrating that the key to a clean coal industry lies in a balanced, agnostic global policy environment that is inclusive of all fuels and all technologies.

For further information, please contact:

Antonios Papaspiropoulos Director Global Communication World Coal Association Mobile # +61 (0) 401-944-478 Email: antoniosp@worldcoal.org

Sarmistha Ghosh Corporate Communications Gainwell Commosales Private Limited Mobile # +91 99039 78518 Email: sarmistha.ghosh@gainwellindia.com