GAIL (India) Ltd, the country’s largest gas utility, plans to invest over Rs 45,000 crore over the next five years to expand the national gas pipeline grid and city gas distribution network, chairman Ashutosh Karnatak said.
The gas pipelines will take the fuel to the eastern and northeastern regions as well as to consumers in the south as part of the government’s efforts to raise the share of natural gas in India’s energy basket to 15 per cent by 2030 from 6.2 per cent.
GAIL’s push for the creation of infrastructure is in line with the Centre’s plan to create a gas-based economy that is less reliant on polluting fuels to meeting its energy needs.
“Before we move to zero-emission technologies (for both automobiles and factories), say by 2040/2050, natural gas is best suited to lower emissions from the current levels,” as per reports.
At present, India consumes around 160 million standard cubic meters of gas per day (mmscmd) and consumption has to rise to 400mmscmd to reach a 15 per cent share in the energy mix, GAIL was playing its part by creating the infrastructure.