SAIL first mover in gas-to-ethanol plant

Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL) is planning to set up India's first gas-to-ethanol plant at its ferroalloy plant in Chandrapur in Maharashtra.

The plant traps hot gases like carbon dioxide, hydrogen, and carbon monoxide that are emitted from the ferroalloy plant's submerged arc furnace and converts these into ethanol using fermentation technology.

SAIL is getting SRTMI's assistance in setting up the gas-to-ethanol plant, which would cost around Rs 400 crore for SAIL to set up the plant, of which 20% "viable gas funding" or aid will be provided by the government under the National Policy on Biofuels 2018.

SRTMI is a collaborative research platform formed jointly by the steel ministry and domestic steel players, facilitating research and development (R&D) in the iron and steel sector by strengthening association among industry, academia and research bodies.

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Director of Steel Research & Technology Mission of India (SRTMI) Mukesh Kumar said that the plan is in line with the government's aim to reduce the country's dependence on import for crude oil besides addressing carbon emission issues.

SAIL's Chandrapur Ferro Alloy Plant (CFP) is the only public sector unit engaged in the production of manganese-based ferroalloys in the country. CFP has an installed capacity of 100,000 tonne per year (TPY) ferromanganese.

SAIL under the Ministry of Steel is the country's largest steel-maker with an installed capacity of about 21 million tonne per annum (MTPA).

Image Source: SAIL