IIT Kanpur, NSI Kanpur sign agreement to establish centre of excellence for biofuels

NEW DELHI: The Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IITK) and National Sugar Institute, Kanpur (NSI Kanpur) have signed an agreement to establish a Centre of Excellence for Biofuels on June 15 at NSI Kanpur. The signing of the agreement took place in the presence of Ashwini Srivastava, joint secretary (Sugar), dept of food and public distribution, govt of India; Manindra Agrawal, director, IIT Kanpur; and Seema Paroha, director, National Sugar Institute, Kanpur.

The press release highlights that Uttar Pradesh, an agricultural state and a leading producer of sugarcane, is an ideal location for biofuel research. As per the university, this partnership aims to combine the expertise of both institutions to meet India's growing energy demands and promote environmental conservation.

Enhance biofuel production and sustainability

Under this agreement, IIT Kanpur and NSI Kanpur will collaborate on projects to conduct advanced research and develop state-of-the-art technology to improve the efficiency and sustainability of biofuel production in the country. Biofuels are anticipated to significantly reduce reliance on fossil fuels and help mitigate climate change. This joint research will focus on enhancing the production of Ethanol, Methanol, Bio-CNG, Aviation Fuel, Green Hydrogen, and other biofuels from biomass, a renewable energy source.

Energy security and climate protection

The press release states that this agreement represents a significant step forward in boosting the production of advanced, sustainable, high-quality biofuels through the development of innovative technologies, optimization of existing processes, and the establishment of pilot projects to demonstrate the viability of biofuel technology. This initiative aims to ensure energy security, protect the climate by reducing CO2 emissions, and lessen dependence on fossil fuels and crude oil imports.

Manindra Agrawal, director of IIT Kanpur, said, " NSI Kanpur has been working in this field for over 60 years, understanding the market dynamics and technological requirements well. Parallelly, IIT Kanpur possesses the understanding of fundamental science and technologies in chemical and other related domains. The aim is to combine the strengths of both institutions to create a state-of-the-art center to help India take a leadership position in the area of biofuels.”

National Biofuel Policy and ethanol production targets

Aswani Srivastava, Joint Secretary (Sugar), Government of India, gave his best wishes for the joint research work between both the Institutes and said “The National Bio-fuel policy, 2018 allows the production of ethanol from various sugarcane-based feedstock as well as use of surplus food grains for production of ethanol. Under Ethanol Blended with Petrol (EBP) Programme, the Govt. has fixed the target of 20% blending of ethanol with petrol by 2025. In order to increase the production of ethanol in the country, the Govt. has been promoting maize as a major feedstock for production of ethanol. It is also focusing towards Waste to Wealth approach by promoting the usage of other by-products of sugarcane”

Seema Paroha, director, NSI Kanpur, said, “This is a long-term MoU, and a dedicated building with a state-of-the-art laboratory, including all requisite equipment, pilot plants, and instruments, will be established for the CoE at the Institute campus. This will initially be funded by the ministry, and moving forward, industrial tie-ups will also be targeted."