Praj Industries promotes Emerging Biofuel Technology

Praj Industries Ltd has announced that the Company has been involved in promotion of emerging energy crops like sweet sorghum for ethanol production and Jatropha for biodiesel production in India and abroad. The Department of Agriculture, Philippines has signed a Memorandum of Association (MOA) with the Company to promote energy crops and technology for biofuels production in Philippines. At home, the Company recently contracted an order from Tata Chemicals for setting up their first sweet sorghum to ethanol plant.

The MOA was signed during the visit a the Philippines President, H E Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to India. The Department of Agriculture is keen to promote development of locally produced biofuels. Signatories to the MOA were, Shashank Inamdar, MD & CEO, of the Company and Ms. Puyat, Undersecretary, Department of Agriculture, Philippines. Arthur Yap, Secretary, Department of Agriculture, Philippines was also present.

The Government of Philippines has mandated 5% blending of biofuels in all transport fuel sold in the country and are keen to increase the blending limits. It is also an effort to promote local feedstock including sugarcane, cassava (bioethanol), coconut palm oil (biodiesel) and new energy crops like Sweet Sorghum for bioethanol and Jatropha for biodiesel.

In a meeting with the President of Philippines, Shashank Inamdar, Managing Director and CEO, of the Company, briefing the President on the role of the Company in Philippines said "We are proud to be associated with the Philippines biofuels program. Our plant will supply the first ethanol fuel to support the Philippines biofuels program".

In India, the Company will set up a fully integrated, commercial scale plant for ethanol production exclusively from sweet sorghum for Tata Chemicals Ltd at Nanded (Maharashtra, India). The capacity of the plant is 30,000 litres per day. Sweet Sorghum has the characteristics of grain sorghum and sugarcane, wherein the stalk contains non-crystalline sugar which can be converted into ethanol.

At Tata Chemicals, the process envisages a crushing capacity of 900tons/day of sweet sorghym stalks. Tata Chemicals will cultivate sweet sorghum in about 4,000 hectares of land. The plant will generate its own power with the help of bagasse generated from the milled stock.

Abhay Chaudhari, Executive Vice President, of the Company added, "We have cultivated sweet sorghum in over 10 countries and have demostrated the results on a large capacity plant. Sweet Sorghum is a beginning and the realization of the vision of our Chairman, Pramod Chaudhari towards sustainable feedstock for ethanol production".

The Company has accelerated the process of adoption of sweet sorghum to ethanol with extensive field trials in different parts of the world including various regions of India, South East Asia, Americas and Africa. These trials have enables the Company to offer custom designed plants that can deliver optimized results. The Company integrates the entire value chain for sweet sorghum, right from cultivation practices to wastewater treatment and beyond. Identifying high yielding seed varieties to industrial scale trials. The Company has adequately demonstrated the potential of this crop in various regions.

Source : Equity Bulls

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