BPCL pledges Rs 5 crores for Bioethanol research & development

New Delhi: Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) has entered into a strategic partnership with the National Sugar Institute (NSI), Kanpur, to advance the development of sweet sorghum as an environmentally friendly feedstock for bioethanol production. This initiative aligns with India's Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme and the government’s broader push to promote biofuels and reduce dependency on fossil fuels.

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The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed by BPCL's Head (R&D) Chandrasekhar N, and NSI, Kanpur's Director Seema Paroha in the presence of Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri and BPCL's Chairman & Managing Director (CMD) G Krishnakumar.

Under the agreement, BPCL has committed Rs 5 crores towards research and development efforts focused on optimizing sweet sorghum yields, improving agricultural practices, and developing efficient juice extraction and fermentation techniques to enhance ethanol production. Additionally, the collaboration will explore the utilization of residual biomass for compressed biogas (CBG) and other high-value applications, reinforcing a holistic approach to bioenergy solutions.

Sweet sorghum is recognised for its water efficiency and short growth cycle, making it a viable alternative to traditional ethanol feedstocks such as sugarcane and corn. The initiative is expected to strengthen India’s energy security, promote sustainable agricultural practices, and support rural economies by providing farmers with new revenue streams.

Speaking on the collaboration, Krishnakumar emphasized the importance of the initiative: “Developing sweet sorghum as a biofuel feedstock marks a significant step towards a cleaner and more sustainable future. Our partnership with NSI aims to establish a reliable and scalable ethanol production framework that benefits both the energy sector and the farming community.”

Paroha echoed these sentiments, stating, “NSI has been at the forefront of bioethanol research, and this collaboration with BPCL will help translate our innovations into real-world applications, driving India's renewable energy agenda forward.”

As part of the initiative, BPCL and NSI will conduct extensive field trials, technology assessments, and commercial viability studies to establish a strong foundation for sweet sorghum-based ethanol production in India.

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