+
India's NRL set to pioneer bamboo-based ethanol production in Assam
OIL & GAS

India's NRL set to pioneer bamboo-based ethanol production in Assam

India's Numaligarh Refinery (NRL), a subsidiary of Oil India, is set to commence ethanol production at its bio refinery in Assam's north-eastern state in March, according to the company's managing director, Bhaskar Phukan. As the world's third-largest consumer and importer of oil, India is actively working to reduce its crude oil consumption by embracing sustainable alternatives like biofuels. The country has ambitious plans to increase ethanol blending with gasoline to 20% by 2025.

The Assam bio refinery, a joint venture involving NRL and its Finnish partners Chempolis and Fortum, represents a significant stride in India's sustainable energy endeavours. With an investment of 40 billion rupees, this facility stands as India's pioneer in utilising bamboo as a feedstock. It is anticipated to produce 50,000 tonnes of ethanol, 16,000 tonnes of furfural (utilised in adhesives), and 11,000 tonnes of acetic acid annually. Bamboo, abundantly available due to the closure of paper mills in the region, serves as the primary raw material for the project.

NRL holds a 50% stake in this innovative initiative. Phukan revealed plans to obtain the necessary certifications for exporting furfural to European markets after meeting local demands. Moreover, he hinted at future ventures in Mizoram and Meghalaya, focusing on smaller-sized projects. These expansions are expected to benefit from substantial cost optimisation, although specific timelines for these projects were not provided during his announcement.

India's Numaligarh Refinery (NRL), a subsidiary of Oil India, is set to commence ethanol production at its bio refinery in Assam's north-eastern state in March, according to the company's managing director, Bhaskar Phukan. As the world's third-largest consumer and importer of oil, India is actively working to reduce its crude oil consumption by embracing sustainable alternatives like biofuels. The country has ambitious plans to increase ethanol blending with gasoline to 20% by 2025. The Assam bio refinery, a joint venture involving NRL and its Finnish partners Chempolis and Fortum, represents a significant stride in India's sustainable energy endeavours. With an investment of 40 billion rupees, this facility stands as India's pioneer in utilising bamboo as a feedstock. It is anticipated to produce 50,000 tonnes of ethanol, 16,000 tonnes of furfural (utilised in adhesives), and 11,000 tonnes of acetic acid annually. Bamboo, abundantly available due to the closure of paper mills in the region, serves as the primary raw material for the project. NRL holds a 50% stake in this innovative initiative. Phukan revealed plans to obtain the necessary certifications for exporting furfural to European markets after meeting local demands. Moreover, he hinted at future ventures in Mizoram and Meghalaya, focusing on smaller-sized projects. These expansions are expected to benefit from substantial cost optimisation, although specific timelines for these projects were not provided during his announcement.

Next Story
Infrastructure Energy

India Auctions 7 Coal Blocks in 12th Commercial Mining Round

The Ministry of Coal has concluded the forward auctions under the 12th round of commercial coal block allocations, held between 28 and 31 July 2025. Seven blocks were successfully auctioned, comprising three fully explored and four partially explored blocks. The round began on 27 March 2025.The total geological reserves of these blocks are approximately 1.76 billion tonnes, with a combined Peak Rated Capacity (PRC) of 5.25 million tonnes per annum (excluding the partially explored blocks). The auctions drew strong participation, with an average revenue share of 26.7 per cent, reflecting sustai..

Next Story
Real Estate

DPIIT, HDFC Capital Sign MoU To Boost PropTech Innovation

The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with HDFC Capital Advisors Limited to promote innovation and support startups in the affordable housing and PropTech sectors. This strategic alliance reinforces DPIIT’s commitment to nurturing an inclusive, innovation-led startup ecosystem in line with the objectives of Atmanirbhar Bharat and Viksit Bharat@2047.A central pillar of the partnership is the H@ART Programme (HDFC Affordable Real Estate and Technology Programme), a dedicated initiat..

Next Story
Infrastructure Transport

L&T Exit Hits Bengaluru Rail Project, Sparks Political Row

The withdrawal of Larsen & Toubro (L&T) from two major corridors of the Bengaluru Suburban Railway Project (BSRP) has drawn strong political backlash, with BJP Members of Parliament accusing the Congress-led Karnataka government of bureaucratic inefficiency that has impeded the city’s much-anticipated transit initiative.Bangalore Central MP P.C. Mohan called the exit a “betrayal” of the people of Bengaluru. “L&T exits Bengaluru Suburban Rail Corridors 2 and 4 citing only 8.28 per cent land handover in two years. K-RIDE failed because the State Government did not clear land ..

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Talk to us?