The Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL), a Central Government Public Sector Undertaking, is setting up India’s first 2G (Second Generation) ethanol bio-refinery at village Tarkhanwala in Bathinda, Punjab.
- The approximate investment of the project is estimated to be Rs 600 Crores.
- The Bathinda Bio-refinery is the first step towards achieving 10% blending of Ethanol in petrol.
Foundation Stone Ceremony
The foundation stone laying ceremony for the project was held on December 25, 2016 by the Minister of Food Processing Industries, Smt. Harsimarat Kaur Badal jointly with the Minister of State (I/C) Petroleum & Natural Gas, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, and Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab, Sardar Sukhbir Singh Badal.
Aim of the Project
The purpose of the bio-refinery is to encourage production of Second Generation (2G) Ethanol from agricultural residues.
Benefit of the Project
The Bio-refinery would provide additional sources of remuneration to farmers along with addressing the growing environmental concerns.
- The project would support the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) programme for achieving 10% Ethanol Blending in Petrol.
About the Project
The Bathinda Bio-refinery will utilize agriculture residues for production of 100 KL per day or 3.20 crore litres per annum of ethanol which may be sufficient to meet the 26% of the ethanol blending requirement of the State.
- The proposed Bio-refinery will generate employment for about 1200 -1300 persons in the Biomass supply chain and generate an additional income of approximately Rs 20 crores per annum for the farmers through purchase of their agriculture residues.
- The project shall also help in reducing CO2 emissions from the paddy straw which currently is being burnt after harvesting.
- One of the major outputs of this Bio-refinery shall be Bio-fertilizer. Approximately 30,000 tonnes per annum bio-fertilizers would be generated which shall be incorporated into the soil for improving soil fertility and overall productivity of farms in Punjab.
- The Bio-refinery shall also produce more than 1.00 lakh Kg of Bio-CNG per annum which can cater to transport and clean cooking requirements.
Other Projects
12 more 2G Ethanol Bio-refineries across 11 States have been planned to be set up by the Oil PSUs in line with vision laid down by Government of India.
- These projects would be set up in Punjab, Haryana, U.P., M.P, Bihar, Assam, Odisha, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka and A.P.
- The estimated investment for the 12 Bio-refineries is Rs 10,000 crores. These Bio-refineries shall produce around 35- 40 crore litres of Ethanol annually, thus contributing significantly towards the EBP programme.
- Recently, in Petrotech-2016 on 07.12.2016, Oil PSUs also entered into 6 MoUs with Technology licensors and State Governments for setting up Bio-refineries in Dahej (Gujarat), Panipat (Haryana), Bina (M.P.), Bargarh (Odisha) and Bathinda (Punjab).
About HPCL
Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited is an Indian state-owned oil and natural gas company. It has about 25% marketing share in India among PSUs and a strong marketing infrastructure.
- The Government of India owns 51.11% shares in HPCL and others are distributed amongst financial institutes, public and other investors. The company is ranked 367th on the Fortune Global 500 list of the world’s biggest corporations as of 2016.
- Headquarters: Mumbai
- CEO: Mukesh Kumar Surana
- Founded: 1974
About Punjab
Punjab is a state in North India bordered by the Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir to the north, Himachal Pradesh to the east, Haryana to the south and southeast, Rajasthan to the southwest, and the Pakistani province of Punjab to the west.
- The state capital is located in Chandigarh, a Union Territory and also the capital of the neighbouring state of Haryana. Agriculture is the largest industry in Punjab.
- Chief Minister: Parkash Singh Badal
- Governor: V P Singh Badnore
