In a major breakthrough in the bio-fuel production business, Pune-based Praj Industries has devised a method to produce ethanol from ligno-cellulosic feedstock like straw, grasses and wood chips. While the use of bio-fuels is under severe criticism for diverting food resources towards ethanol production, Praj Industries has altered the traditional grain-based ethanol production methods using second generation energy crops such as straw, grasses abnd wood chips, said Praj Industries Chairman Pramod Chaudhari on Monday.
Praj Industries, involved in non-conventional energy sector, has also designed a new enthanol blend, which is high-energy fuel, to be blended with petrol and diesel. Speaking to reporters after the inauguration of Praj Industries' new reserch and development centre, Chaudhari said, "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. Ligno-cellulosic feedstock can now be easily used to produce bio-ethanol. Thus, food grains can be saved for human beings and animals."
Praj has already filed a patent for production of ethanol using ligno-cellulosic feedstock. "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 bio-fuels," he added.
Praj has already dicovered a method to produce ethanol using sweet sorghum. "Use of sweet sorghum for bio-fuel production is an established method now and Tata Chemaicals has set up a huge plant in Nanded, (Maharashtra) based on the same technology. Our new invetion will prove a path-breaking development in the bio-fuel sector," he asserted.
The company enjoys a heavy market stake in countries like Columbia, Madagascar and Ghana in bio-fuel sector. "We expect, the Indian bio-fuel market will also grow rapidly after the government approves 10 per-cent enthanol blending in petrol and diesel in India," said Praj CEO Shashank Inamdar.
Praj has also dicovered a "high-energy-conent ethanol", a new blend that matches the energy levels of petrol. "If we consider, petrol delivers 100 per cent energy, then general ethanol delivers only 63 per cent of energy efficiency. The newly discovered blend of ethanol bridges this gap its pretol and diesel blend provide almost 99 per cent energy," said Inamdar. Praj has also patented this ethanol blend and the commercialisation of the same would be achieved with the help of oil companies.
Praj Industries, involved in non-conventional energy sector, has also designed a new enthanol blend, which is high-energy fuel, to be blended with petrol and diesel. Speaking to reporters after the inauguration of Praj Industries' new reserch and development centre, Chaudhari said, "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. Ligno-cellulosic feedstock can now be easily used to produce bio-ethanol. Thus, food grains can be saved for human beings and animals."
Praj has already filed a patent for production of ethanol using ligno-cellulosic feedstock. "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 bio-fuels," he added.
Praj has already dicovered a method to produce ethanol using sweet sorghum. "Use of sweet sorghum for bio-fuel production is an established method now and Tata Chemaicals has set up a huge plant in Nanded, (Maharashtra) based on the same technology. Our new invetion will prove a path-breaking development in the bio-fuel sector," he asserted.
The company enjoys a heavy market stake in countries like Columbia, Madagascar and Ghana in bio-fuel sector. "We expect, the Indian bio-fuel market will also grow rapidly after the government approves 10 per-cent enthanol blending in petrol and diesel in India," said Praj CEO Shashank Inamdar.
Praj has also dicovered a "high-energy-conent ethanol", a new blend that matches the energy levels of petrol. "If we consider, petrol delivers 100 per cent energy, then general ethanol delivers only 63 per cent of energy efficiency. The newly discovered blend of ethanol bridges this gap its pretol and diesel blend provide almost 99 per cent energy," said Inamdar. Praj has also patented this ethanol blend and the commercialisation of the same would be achieved with the help of oil companies.
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