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Praj Industries makes breakthrough in ethanol production

24th April, 2008

India-based biofuels technology company Praj Industries has devised a method to produce ethanol from ligno-cellulosic feedstock like straw, grasses and wood chips.

Praj Industries has also designed a new ethanol blend, which is a high-energy fuel, to be blended with petrol and diesel.

'While environment and social activists are fighting over the food-versus-fuel debate in case of grain-based ethanol production, we have successfully used non-food biomass to produce ethanol,' Praj Industries chairman Pramod Chaudhari comments. 'Ligno-cellulosic feedstock can now be easily used to produce bioethanol. Food grains can be saved for human beings and animals.'

'We have used certain acids and enzymes to break down cellulose. After this, a thermal treatment is used to convert this cellulose into a gas followed by production of biofuels,' Chaudhari adds.

Praj has already discovered a method to produce ethanol using sweet sorghum. 'Use of sweet sorghum for biofuel production is an established method now and Tata Chemicals has set up a plant in Nanded (Maharashtra) based on the same technology. Our new invention will prove a path-breaking development in the biofuel sector,' he asserts.

The company has a market stake in countries like Columbia, Madagascar and Ghana in the biofuel sector. 'We expect the Indian biofuel market will also grow rapidly after the government approves 10% ethanol blending in petrol and diesel in India,' Praj CEO Shashank Inamdar says.