July 2026 Current Affairs — Part 22
Important Current Affairs for Government Exams | Science, Economy, Health & Energy
This part covers five important developments in geothermal energy, coal gasification, healthcare, vaccines and long-duration energy storage. Read the key facts carefully and attempt the quiz at the end.
41. India Commissions First Geothermal Wells at Puga Valley
India commissioned its first and deepest twin geothermal wells at Puga Valley in Eastern Ladakh.
🌋 Key Facts
- Location: Puga Valley, Eastern Ladakh
- Commissioned by: Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh
- Executed by: ONGC Energy Centre
- Well depth: 1,000 metres each
- Altitude: More than 14,000 feet
- Geothermal energy produces electricity using heat from inside the Earth.
⚡ How Geothermal Wells Work
- Heat comes from hot rocks beneath the Earth's surface.
- Water enters underground rock cracks.
- Water gets heated and turns into steam.
- Steam is used to generate electricity.
- Hot water may emerge naturally as hot springs and sulphur fumaroles.
42. National Coal Gasification Mission
India aims to achieve 100 Million Tonnes (MT) of coal gasification capacity by 2030 under its National Coal Gasification Mission.
⛏️ Key Facts
- Target: 100 MT coal gasification capacity by 2030
- Present operational/under implementation capacity: 22.6 MTPA
- On 13 May 2026, the Government approved a new Surface Coal/Lignite Gasification Promotion Scheme.
- Financial outlay: ₹37,500 crore
- Expected to utilise about 75 MTPA of coal/lignite.
🏭 Existing Projects
- Jindal Steel Limited (JSL): 8 MTPA — Operational
- Talcher Fertilisers Limited (TFL): 2.6 MTPA — Under implementation
- 8 projects under ₹8,500 crore Financial Incentive Scheme: 12 MTPA — Under implementation
🔬 Coal Gasification
- Coal gasification is the process of converting coal into syngas (Synthetic Gas).
- Syngas mainly contains Carbon Monoxide (CO) and Hydrogen (H₂).
43. Semaglutide 2.4 mg Approved for MASH
The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) approved Wegovy (Semaglutide 2.4 mg) for treating MASH.
💊 Key Facts
- Medicine: Wegovy
- Active ingredient: Semaglutide 2.4 mg
- Developer: Novo Nordisk
- Condition: MASH
- MASH full form: Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatohepatitis
- MASH is a serious form of fatty liver disease that causes liver inflammation and damage.
- It is the first injectable GLP-1 therapy approved in India for MASH.
44. India Approves First Dengue Vaccine
India approved its first dengue vaccine, QDENGA (TAK-003), developed by Takeda Biopharmaceuticals.
💉 Key Facts
- Vaccine: QDENGA (TAK-003)
- Developer: Takeda Biopharmaceuticals
- Approved by: Drug Controller General of India (DCGI)
- Approved age group: 4 to 60 years
- It protects against all four dengue virus serotypes.
45. Bondada Engineering – 100 MWh VRFB BESS Project
Bondada Engineering, in partnership with Delectrik Systems, received a Notification of Award (NOA) from NTPC Renewable Energy Ltd. (NTPC REL) for a 100 MWh VRFB BESS project.
🔋 Key Facts
- Project: 100 MWh Vanadium Redox Flow Battery Energy Storage System (VRFB BESS)
- Project location: Khavda Solar Park, Gujarat
- Technology Partner: Delectrik Systems
- It is India's first and largest grid-scale VRFB Battery Energy Storage System project.
- VRFB is a Long Duration Energy Storage (LDES) technology.
⚡ VRFB Advantages
- Operational life of over 25 years.
- High safety and stable performance.
- Near-zero degradation even with frequent charging and discharging.
- Lower operational expenditure (OPEX).
🔋 VRFB vs LFP Batteries
- LFP battery lifespan: 12–15 years
- LFP systems largely depend on imported battery cells.
- VRFB supports energy security through domestic vanadium resources.
- The project helps reduce long-term import dependence.
📝 Part 22 Quiz
Answer all 5 questions. Your result will appear only after you submit the quiz.
Quiz Result
🎯 Part 22 Completed
Revise these important science, energy and healthcare developments before moving to the next part of the July 2026 Current Affairs Series.