Two innovative technologies of IndianOil R&D unveiled on World Biofuel Day-2018
New Delhi 10-Aug-2018
Shri Krishan Pal, Minister of State for Social Justice & Empowerment, Govt of India, unveiled two innovative technologies developed by IndianOil R&D Centre to coincide with the World Biofuel Day celebrations at its Faridabad campus today.
Shri Krishan Pal, Minister of State for Social Justice & Empowerment, Govt of India, & Shri Vipul Goel, Minister of Industries & Commerce, Skill Development, Industrial Training & Environment, Govt of Haryana, was present on the occasion. Other dignitaries at the function included Dr Jennifer Holmgren, CEO of LanzaTech,USA, senior officials from Faridabad administration, IndianOil, Department of Biotechnology, EcoGreen (a waste collecting agency) and ISKCON.
On the occasion, Shri Krishan Pal inaugurated the IOC-DBT-Lanzatech Pilot Plant set up at IndianOil’s R&D Centre to convert carbon dioxide to high-value lipids. This novel 3rd Generation biofuel technology has been developed by the DBT-IOC Centre for Advanced Bio-Energy Research at IndianOil R&D by integrating two technologies:
a) LanzaTech-USA’s patented anaerobic gas fermentation technology to convert carbon dioxide into acetic acid, and
b) IndianOil R&D’s patented aerobic fermentation technology to convert acetic acid to lipids (algal oil), including the highly valuable Omega 3-fatty acids (DHAs). The lipids are then trans-esterified followed by separation of Omega 3-fatty acids (DHAs) esters as high-value product. The remaining lipid esters are used as biodiesel fuel. DHAs esters are essential components of nutrient formulation for children, adults and are used to combat childhood malnutrition. Thus, this value chain makes the overall process economically feasible.
Shri Krishan Pal also laid the foundation stone for a 5-metric tonne per day Biomethanation Plant set up by IndanOil R&D wherein waste would be converted into bio-CNG using a bio-innoculum. This efficient and cost-effective bio-methanation technology developed by IndianOil R&D converts organic waste to energy and has the following features:
• Higher biogas (methane) production (in excess of 80%)
• Higher methane, low CO2 content
• In situ conversion of CO2 to methane
• Higher treatment efficiency
• Enviro-tolerant
• Suitable for multiple
As part of its Corporate Social Responsibility, IndianOil R&D has collaborated with the Municipal Corporation of Faridabad and Haryana Shahri Vikas Pradhikaran to put up a large-cale Bio-Methanation Plant next to the R&D Centre campus in Faridabad. This will be the first of its kind plant set up by IndianOil based on its in-house Biomethanation technology and shall help convert organic waste into useful Bio-gas that will be utilized for cooking, lighting or even for fuelling automobiles.
Civic bodies and corporations of several other cities such as Gurgaon, New Delhi, etc. have shown keen interest to replicate the Faridabad model of bio-methanation project
About the IOC-DBT-Lanzatech Pilot Plant:
The DBT-IOC Centre has put up the world’s first pilot facility at IndianOil R&D, Faridabad at 100 litres reactor scale to sequester about 10 kg/day of CO2. This technology has also wide recognition including US & Japan patents. IndianOil & LanzaTech bagged the Game Changer Company of the year award instituted by (erstwhile) Petrofed in the year 2015 for this novel integrated process.
Currently, most of the production of Omega-3 fatty acid esters is from fish oil which uses huge quantities of wild fish as feed, contributing to an overfishing crisis and threatening global food security. By the year 2025, the market for Omega-3 fatty acid esters is projected at about 60,000 tons per annum (~ US$ 57 billion). Commercial grade DHA esters price ranges from US $500-$1200 per Kg depending upon its purity.
This novel 3rd Generation bio-fuel technology has demonstrated the tremendous potential of CO2 sequestration /carbon recycling. This technology is expected create a platform that can produce sustainable food and fuels economically and at commercial scale. This disruptive technology is expected to give IndianOil a distinct lead over competition in not only reducing carbon emissions but also producing high value products such as DHA and Biodiesel.
Once proven at pilot scale, this Technology has a potential to be a game changer for IndianOil. The Corporation plans to put up commercial plants at suitable refinery locations / 2G ethanol plants where pure CO2 is available from the Mono Ethyl Glycol / 2G ethanol fermentation units and hydrogen from refineries.
About Bio-methanation Technology:
For Bio-Methanation Plant, Haryana Shahri Vikas Pradhikaran has provided a land parcel of 3000 sq. mtrs. in the backyard of IndianOil-R&D Centre in Sector-13 of Faridabad. In this endeavour, the Municipal Corporation Faridabad will provide an assured supply of segregated organic waste in requisite quantity for the plant through its associates M/s. Eco Green Energy.
The 5 tonne-per day plant shall produce biogas in excess of 250 Kg per day, which is equivalent to 18 LPG cylinders, and over 450 Kg of bio-manure that shall be supplied as fertilizers to the gardens of Faridabad being maintained by Haryana Shahri Vikas Pradhikaran. As part of its CSR initiative, IndianOil also joined hands with ISKCON Food Relief Organization to supply the generated biogas to ISKCON‘s Faridabad kitchen which cooks meals for 60,000 government school children in Faridabad under the Mid-Day Meal program.
A brief on World Biofuel Day on 10th Aug. 2018
World Biofuel day is observed every year on 10th August to create awareness about the importance of non-fossil fuels as an alternative to conventional fossil fuels and to highlight the various efforts made by the Government in the Biofuel sector. The World Biofuel Day is being observed by the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas since the last three years.
Biofuels have the benefits of reducing import dependency on crude oil, cleaner environment, additional income to farmers and employment generation in rural areas. Biofuels programme is also in synergy with the Government of India initiatives for Make in India, Swachh Bharat and doubling farmers’ income. The Government of India has taken a number of initiatives to increase blending of biofuels since 2014. The major interventions include administrative price mechanism for ethanol, simplifying the procurement procedures of OMCs, amending the provisions of Industries (Development & Regulation) Act, 1951 and enabling lignocellulosic route for ethanol procurement.
These interventions of the Government of India have shown positive results. Ethanol blending in petrol has increased from 38 crore litres in the ethanol supply year 2013-14 to an estimated 141 crore litres in the ethanol supply year 2017-18. Bio-diesel blending in the country started from 10th August, 2015 and in the year 2018-19, OMCs have allocated 7.6 crore litres of biodiesel. Oil PSUs are also planning to set up 12 Second Generation (2G) Bio-refineries to augment ethanol supply and address environmental issues arising out of burning of agricultural biomass.
The Government approved National Policy on Biofuels, 2018 in June, 2018. The policy has the objective of reaching 20% ethanol blending and 5% bio-diesel blending by the year 2030. Among other things, the policy expands the scope of feedstock for ethanol production and has provided for incentives for production of advanced biofuels.
Recently, the Government has increased the price of C-heavy molasses-based ethanol to Rs. 43.70 from Rs. 40.85 to give a boost to EBP Programme. Price of B-heavy molasses-based ethanol and sugarcane juice-based ethanol has been fixed for the first time at Rs. 47.40. The Government has reduced GST on ethanol for blending in fuel from 18% to 5%. The Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas is making all efforts to increase ethanol supply for petrol and has taken several steps in this direction.
