Mumbai: Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) has inked a pact with CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (CSIR-IICT) aimed at developing innovative Bio-reactor design to maximize Bio-Methane production for compressed Bio-gas (CBG) made from agricultural waste residues, such as wheat straw, rice straw, sugarcane bagasse, etc.

The MoA has been inked by BPCL's Chief General Manager (R&D) Dr V Ravi Kumar on behalf of BPCL and CSIR-IICT's Chief Scientist & Head, Business Development & Research Management Dr D Shailja on December 23, in the presence of CSIR-IICT's Chief Scientist Dr A Gangagni Rao and other senior officials from BPCL and CSIR-IICT.  This program was virtually attended by BPCL's CGM Biofuels & Major Projects (E&P)-HQ Sanjeeb Paul, Project Leader-E&P Sanjeev Pol, DGM-Technology Biofuels (E&P)-HQ Dipesh Kamdar and Manager Technology Biofuels (E&P)-HQ Shashwat Verma.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi applauded the efforts of CSIR-IICT in his "Man Ki Baat" programme on January 31, 2021

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Ravi Kumar said, "Large scale production of agricultural waste residues will enable to reduce India's dependency on crude oil and will also enhance rural Income and the same by-product can be used as manure, which leads to more natural irrigation avoiding the use of chemical fertilizers."

Bharat Petroleum has plans to expand its Renewable Energy Portfolio to 1.0 GW by 2025, through Solar (800 MW), Wind (100 MW), Small Hydro (60MW) and Biomass (40MW). It is pertinent to mention that CSIR-IICT developed a large scale Bio-reactor which is operational at Hyderabad based on vegetable waste. Prime Minister Narendra Modi applauded the efforts of CSIR-IICT in his "Man Ki Baat" programme on January 31, 2021.

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