India’s First Integrated CCUS Field Laboratory at IIT Bombay

Summary

• In May 2026, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Ministry of Education (MoE), inaugurated India’s first Integrated Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) field laboratory facility at Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (IIT-B) in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
• The launch took place under the ‘Bharat Innovates 2026’ initiative.
• The facility is India’s first end-to-end pilot-scale platform integrating Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) with Geological CO₂ Sequestration (GCS) in basalt formations.
• It includes the country’s first pilot-scale scientific drilling initiative to assess CO₂ storage potential in the Deccan Traps.
• The technology is being scaled up by UrjanovaC, a deep-tech venture incubated at the Society for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (SINE), IIT-Bombay.

Background & Concept

What is the Integrated CCUS Facility?

The Integrated CCUS (Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage) field laboratory at IIT Bombay is India’s first end-to-end pilot-scale facility for capturing carbon dioxide (CO₂), utilising it commercially, and storing it geologically. It is a major step in India’s transition towards net-zero emissions by 2070, as committed at COP26 (Glasgow, 2021).

The facility is launched under Bharat Innovates 2026, which showcases frontier Indian innovations in clean energy, deep-tech, and sustainability.

What is CCUS?

• CCUS stands for Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage — a suite of technologies that:
• Capture CO₂ at its source (industrial emissions) or from the atmosphere (Direct Air Capture).
• Utilise the captured CO₂ to produce valuable products like chemicals, fuels, building materials, or food-grade gases.
• Store the CO₂ safely and permanently underground in geological formations such as depleted oil/gas reservoirs, saline aquifers, or basalt rocks.
• CCUS is considered crucial for hard-to-abate sectors like steel, cement, petrochemicals, fertilisers, and power, where emissions reduction through electrification or renewables alone is insufficient.

Why CCUS in Basalt?

A unique feature of this facility is its focus on Geological CO₂ Sequestration (GCS) in basalt formations — particularly the Deccan Traps of western India. Basalt is rich in calcium, magnesium, and iron, which react with CO₂ to form stable carbonate minerals (a process called mineral carbonation) — locking away CO₂ permanently and safely.

The Deccan Traps (covering about 500,000 sq. km across Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and parts of Karnataka) form one of the largest basalt provinces in the world, offering India a strategic geological advantage for long-term carbon storage.

About UrjanovaC and SINE, IIT Bombay:

The technology is being scaled up by UrjanovaC, a deep-tech start-up incubated at the Society for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (SINE) — IIT Bombay’s flagship technology business incubator established in 2004. UrjanovaC has been recognised as a leading start-up under Bharat Innovates 2026, reflecting the rising convergence between Indian academic research and clean-tech entrepreneurship.

Process and Applications:

The facility uses advanced aqueous-based CO₂ capture methods capable of capturing CO₂ from ambient air as well as industrial emissions. A key innovation is the use of non-potable water sources, including industrial effluents and seawater — making the process water-efficient and ecologically friendly.

The captured CO₂ is converted into high-purity carbonate and bicarbonate salts, which can be directly utilised across multiple industries:

• Steel and cement sectors — for low-carbon building materials.
• Petrochemicals — as feedstock in chemical processes.
• Pharmaceuticals — for high-purity chemical applications.
• This creates a circular carbon economy, turning emissions into economic value.

Significance:

The facility is a transformative step in India’s climate action and clean-tech innovation journey. It supports India’s commitments under the Panchamrit pledge (COP26), including:

500 GW non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030.

Reduction of carbon intensity of GDP by 45% by 2030.

Net Zero by 2070.

It also aligns with the Mission Innovation framework, the National Hydrogen Mission, and the Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) vision. By indigenising CCUS technologies, India reduces dependence on imported clean-tech, supporting Atmanirbhar Bharat and boosting the deep-tech start-up ecosystem.

Challenges:

CCUS technologies globally face challenges of high cost, energy intensity, scalability, monitoring & verification of stored CO₂, and public acceptance. The IIT Bombay facility’s success will depend on commercial viability, regulatory clarity, industry uptake, and long-term geological monitoring of the Deccan Traps storage sites.

Keywords & Definitions

• ▸ CCUS (Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage): A suite of technologies that capture CO₂ emissions from industrial sources or the atmosphere, utilise them in commercial products, and store them in geological formations.
• ▸ Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU): The capture and productive use of CO₂ in industrial applications — converting it into chemicals, fuels, building materials, or food-grade gases.
• ▸ Geological Carbon Sequestration (GCS): The long-term storage of CO₂ in underground geological formations such as depleted oil/gas reservoirs, saline aquifers, or basalt rocks.
• ▸ Mineral Carbonation: A natural and accelerated process in which CO₂ reacts with calcium- and magnesium-rich rocks like basalt to form stable carbonate minerals, permanently locking away CO₂.
• ▸ Direct Air Capture (DAC): A technology that removes CO₂ directly from the atmosphere, typically using chemical solvents or solid sorbents, regardless of the emission source.
• ▸ Deccan Traps: One of the largest basalt provinces in the world, covering about 500,000 sq. km in western and central India (Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and parts of Karnataka), formed by massive volcanic eruptions around 66 million years ago.
• ▸ Basalt: A dark, fine-grained volcanic rock rich in calcium, magnesium, and iron — ideal for CO₂ mineralisation.
• ▸ IIT Bombay (IIT-B): A premier engineering and research institution in Mumbai, Maharashtra, established in 1958, and an Institute of Eminence.
• ▸ SINE (Society for Innovation & Entrepreneurship): IIT Bombay’s flagship technology business incubator, established in 2004, that supports deep-tech start-ups.
• ▸ UrjanovaC: A deep-tech start-up incubated at SINE, IIT Bombay, that develops and scales advanced CCUS technologies.
• ▸ Bharat Innovates 2026: An initiative showcasing India’s frontier innovations in clean energy, deep-tech, and sustainability.
• ▸ Ministry of Education (MoE): The nodal ministry of the Government of India for education policy and management, formerly known as the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) before its renaming in 2020.
• ▸ Net Zero by 2070: India’s commitment, announced at COP26 (Glasgow, 2021), to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2070.
• ▸ Panchamrit Pledge: India’s five climate commitments announced at COP26 (2021):
  • 500 GW non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030
  • 50% energy from renewables by 2030
  • Reduce projected emissions by 1 billion tonnes by 2030
  • Reduce carbon intensity of GDP by 45% by 2030
  • Net Zero by 2070
• ▸ Hard-to-Abate Sectors: Industries with high emissions that are difficult to decarbonise through electrification or renewables alone — including steel, cement, petrochemicals, fertilisers, aviation, and shipping.
• ▸ Aqueous-Based CO₂ Capture: A method of capturing CO₂ using water-based solvents that react with CO₂ and convert it into dissolved carbonate or bicarbonate forms.
• ▸ Non-Potable Water: Water not suitable for drinking, such as industrial effluents and seawater, increasingly used in industrial processes to conserve freshwater.
• ▸ Circular Carbon Economy: An economic model in which CO₂ emissions are captured, reused, recycled, and removed, creating a closed loop that transforms a pollutant into a resource.
• ▸ Mission Innovation: A global initiative of 23 countries and the European Commission, launched at COP21 (Paris, 2015), to accelerate clean energy innovation.
• ▸ Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment): An India-led global initiative launched at COP26 (2021) that promotes sustainable lifestyles and mindful consumption.
• ▸ Atmanirbhar Bharat: The Government of India’s self-reliance vision aimed at strengthening domestic capabilities and reducing external dependence across sectors, including clean-tech.

Question Section (MCQs)

Q1. Consider the following statements about India’s first Integrated CCUS field laboratory facility launched in May 2026:

• It was inaugurated at IIT Bombay, Mumbai.
• It was inaugurated under the ‘Bharat Innovates 2026’ initiative.
• It is the first pilot-scale facility integrating Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) with Geological CO₂ Sequestration.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

• (a) 1 and 2 only
• (b) 2 and 3 only
• (c) 1 and 3 only
• (d) 1, 2 and 3

Q2. What does CCUS stand for in the context of climate technology?

• (a) Carbon Compression, Use and Sequencing
• (b) Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage
• (c) Climate Control and Utility Systems
• (d) Coal Combustion, Use and Stabilisation

Q3. The Geological CO₂ Sequestration at the new facility is being undertaken in which geological formation?

• (a) Aravalli Range
• (b) Himalayan sedimentary basins
• (c) Deccan Traps (basalt formations)
• (d) Vindhyan sandstones

Q4. The Deccan Traps, one of the world’s largest basalt provinces, were formed approximately:

• (a) 66 million years ago
• (b) 200 million years ago
• (c) 2 million years ago
• (d) 500 million years ago

Q5. Consider the following statements about the technology behind the new CCUS facility:

• It uses advanced aqueous-based CO₂ capture methods.
• It can capture CO₂ from both ambient air and industrial emissions.
• It requires only freshwater for capture, ruling out the use of industrial effluents.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

• (a) 1 and 2 only
• (b) 2 and 3 only
• (c) 1 and 3 only
• (d) 1, 2 and 3

Q6. UrjanovaC, the deep-tech venture scaling up this CCUS technology, is incubated at which institution?

• (a) IIT Delhi
• (b) IIT Madras
• (c) IIT Bombay (SINE)
• (d) IISc Bengaluru

Q7. Which of the following sectors are mentioned as end-users of the high-purity carbonate and bicarbonate salts produced by the facility?

• Steel
• Cement
• Petrochemicals
• Pharmaceuticals

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

• (a) 1 and 2 only
• (b) 1, 2 and 3 only
• (c) 2, 3 and 4 only
• (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q8. Which of the following are part of India’s Panchamrit pledge announced at COP26 (Glasgow, 2021)?

• 500 GW non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030
• 50% energy from renewables by 2030
• Net Zero by 2070
• Reduce carbon intensity of GDP by 45% by 2030

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

• (a) 1 and 2 only
• (b) 1, 2 and 3 only
• (c) 1, 3 and 4 only
• (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q9. Mineral Carbonation, a key process in basalt-based CO₂ storage, involves:

• (a) Reaction of CO₂ with iron ore to form steel
• (b) Reaction of CO₂ with calcium- and magnesium-rich rocks to form stable carbonate minerals
• (c) Compression of CO₂ into liquid form for export
• (d) Mixing CO₂ with cement for industrial buildings

Q10. Which of the following are considered “hard-to-abate” sectors in climate policy?

• Steel
• Cement
• Aviation
• Pharmaceuticals

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

• (a) 1 and 2 only
• (b) 1, 2 and 3 only
• (c) 2, 3 and 4 only
• (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

Answer Key with Explanations

▸ Q1 → (d) 1, 2 and 3

• All three statements are correct — the facility was inaugurated at IIT Bombay, under Bharat Innovates 2026, and is India’s first end-to-end pilot-scale platform integrating CCU with Geological CO₂ Sequestration.

▸ Q2 → (b) Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage

• CCUS stands for Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage — a suite of technologies that capture, use, and permanently store CO₂ to mitigate climate change.

▸ Q3 → (c) Deccan Traps (basalt formations)

• The facility’s Geological CO₂ Sequestration is being studied in the Deccan Traps, one of the largest basalt provinces in the world, which allow CO₂ to be mineralised into stable carbonates.

▸ Q4 → (a) 66 million years ago

• The Deccan Traps were formed around 66 million years ago by massive volcanic eruptions at the Cretaceous–Paleogene (K–Pg) boundary, often linked to the extinction of dinosaurs.

▸ Q5 → (a) 1 and 2 only

• Statements 1 and 2 are correct. Statement 3 is wrong — the technology specifically uses non-potable water sources, including industrial effluents and seawater, making it water-efficient and ecologically friendly.

▸ Q6 → (c) IIT Bombay (SINE)

• UrjanovaC is incubated at the Society for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (SINE) — IIT Bombay’s flagship technology business incubator.

▸ Q7 → (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

• The captured CO₂ is converted into high-purity carbonate and bicarbonate salts for use in steel, cement, petrochemicals, and pharmaceuticals — covering a wide industrial spectrum.

▸ Q8 → (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

• All four are part of the Panchamrit pledge announced at COP26 (Glasgow, 2021). The fifth element is “reducing total projected carbon emissions by 1 billion tonnes by 2030”.

▸ Q9 → (b)

• Mineral Carbonation involves the reaction of CO₂ with calcium- and magnesium-rich rocks like basalt to form stable carbonate minerals, permanently locking away CO₂ in solid form.

▸ Q10 → (b) 1, 2 and 3 only

• Steel, cement, and aviation are considered “hard-to-abate” sectors with high emissions and limited electrification options. Pharmaceuticals are not typically classified as a hard-to-abate sector — they are moderate-to-low emission industries.