Chempolis and NRL partner for bamboo-based ethanol production

Chempolis, a Finland-based biorefining technology corporation, has signed a partnership agreement with Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL) to jointly build a biorefinery in the state of Assam, northeast India.

The new facility will coproduce bioethanol and furfural and acetic acid from locally sourced cellulosic biomass, using Chempolis' Formicobio technology. Bamboo, which is abundantly in the region, will be the main feedstock.

'This agreement is one important step to approach the national policy on biofuels that targets 20% blending of biofuels in diesel and petrol by 2017,' says Pasi Rousu, president, Chempolis Asia & Pacific and Americas.

Navin Singhania, president of Chempolis India, adds: 'Bamboo is an important raw material in the northeast region of India, accounting for 66% of the country's bamboo resources. According to Economic Times, the bamboo industry is estimated to reach $5.7 billion (€4.5 billion) in the near future. For NRL, production of fuel grade ethanol will result in substantial savings.'

Project implementation is expected to take two and a half years.