As stated by GAIL Chairman Ashutosh Karnatak, GAIL India has decided to invest more than Rs 45,000 crore in next five years which will help expand the National Gas Pipeline Grid. It is also expected to enhance the use of environment friendly fuel.

“Before we transition to zero-emission technologies (for both automobiles and factories) say by 2040/2050, natural gas is best suited for tapering emissions from current levels”, says Ashutosh Karnatak, Chairman. “Natural gas is ‘happy fuel’ as it has a fraction of emissions compared to alternate liquid fuels such as diesel in automobiles and coal in power plants.”

160 million standard cubic meters of gas per day is being consumed in India and consumption is expected to contribute 15 percent share in the energy mix with a rise of 400 mmscmd.

Two-third of overall gas sold in India is marketed by GAIL with currently operating 12, 160-km of pipeline network. GAIL has planned to operate pipelines of around 5,500 kilometers and it is also sexecuting same length of pipeline which is of more than 5,500 kilometers.

Urja Ganga Project will supply gas to Bihar, west Bengal, Odisha and Jharkhand as well as spreadind its reach to Kochi-Kootanad-Bangalore-Mangalore line and also towards Indradhanush North East Gas Grid. Supply and demand centres will get connected through these pipelines as predictated under the National Gas Grid.

Trading CNG to automobiles and providing natural gas to household kitchen are also in the list of expansion plan of GAIL. Petrochemical plant’s expansion is also planned and investment blueprints are also ready for the same.

400 CNG station will be built in different locations and 10 lakh of household kitchens will be availing Piped Natural Gas connection in coming 3-5 years.

“Renewable power is set to grow to 227 GW by year 2030 and gas has a complementary role ineffectively addressing intermittency and supplying peaking load,” Karnatak said, adding gas-based power generation can take over during the night or on not so sunny days in areas getting solar power also supplement hydro and wind projects during downtime.