HYDERABAD: Oil marketing major Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd has evinced interest in setting up a 5 lakh litres per day capacity ethanol production facility in Telangana at an investment of Rs 1,000 crore.
BPCL has told the Telangana government that the first-generation (1G) grain-based ethanol plant will require 100 acres of land, located in close proximity to a water source as the facility would require about 4,000 kilo-litres of water per day for regular operations, BPCL executive director (bio fuels) Anurag Saraogi said on Tuesday.
Saraogi, who was leading a high-powered team of BPCL officials, said this during discussions with Telangana industries principal secretary Jayesh Ranjan on Tuesday, a release issued by the Telangana government said.
BPCL’s expression of interest in setting up the first general ethanol plant comes close on the heels of the Union government announcing a favourable policy to boost ethanol production in the country in June this year.
“Telangana is ethanol deficient as on date, considering the 10% blending requirements in motor spirit. ln view of the 20% blending targets by 2025-26, as per the roadmap document released by NITI Aayog and the Union ministry of petroleum & natural gas (MoPNG) in June-2021, BPCL is planning to set up a 500 KLD capacity grain-based 1G Ethanol plant in Telangana,” Saraogi said.
He pointed out that the plant will not only facilitate the production of 1G ethanol and contribute to the state exchequer but will also generate huge direct and indirect employment in the state and also go a long way in reducing air pollution.
According to the Telangana government, Ranjan assured the BPCL team that the state government would extend all necessary support to set up the 1G ethanol production plant in the state and would fast track the allotment of land as well as all the necessary clearances.
ln line with the MoPNG directives, BPCL has to set up 1G food grain-based ethanol facilities to improve ethanol blending in motor spirits in five states, including Telangana, in a move aimed at reducing crude imports as well as environmental pollution.
The above news was originally posted on timesofindia.indiatimes.com
