He said the committee’s role is to advice the Centre on matters of scientific importance, so that it can frame relevant policies. “While tapping energy sources, environmental concerns should also be taken care of and this aspect was also discussed in the meeting,” Rai said.
The current rise in prices of petroleum products has compelled the Centre to think about alternative sources of energy. The meeting also discussed the need to tap shale, a source of natural gas.
Liquid hydrocarbons can be extracted from shale, a sedimentary rock that contains a solid mixture of organic chemical compounds.