India has 98pc of coal resources among BIMSTEC states: Report

India is top with more than 98 per cent of coal resources, followed by Bangladesh 1.2 per cent among member countries of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC).

A report released from the BIMSTEC headquarters in Dhaka during a conference on energy cooperation on Tuesday said India also tops on all energy resources–oil, gas, biomass, hydro in the BIMSTEC region.

The report also showed that the BIMSTEC region has 323,504 million tonnes of coal, 664 million tonnes of oil, 99 trillion cubic feet of gas, 11,346 MT of biomass, 328 GW of hydropower and 1,117 GW of renewal energy.

Of these resources, India has 319,020 MTS of coal, 600 MTS oil, 45.5 TCF gas, 4,150 MT biomass and 145 GW hydro and 1,000 GW renewable energy respectively.

In renewable and biomass resources, Myanmar is second with 1000 GW and 3,303 MTS biomass after India among seven member countries.

The report ‘prospect of regional energy cooperation and cross-border energy trade in the BIMSTEC region showed that India has 319,020 million tonnes of coal, followed by Bangladesh 3,300 MTN and Thailand 1,063 MTN.

While inaugurating the two-day conference as the chief guest, Prime Minister’s Advisor on power, energy and mineral resources Dr Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury said the prospect of regional energy cooperation and cross-border energy trade has been getting focus to ensure need-based energy supply in the member countries.

He also stressed the need for implementing the memorandum of understanding signed to establish the BIMSTEC grid interconnection during the summit held in Kathmandu, Nepal in August 2018.

The MoU entered into force on 07 April 2019.

The conference organised by South Asia Regional Initiative for Energy Integration (SARI/EI) and US AID aiming at strengthening energy security in BIMSTEC region, was also addressed among others by BIMSTEC Secretary General M Shahidul Islam, Mission Director of USAID Bangladesh Derrick S Brown and SARI-EI Project Director Pankaj Batra.